


Kill Your Heroes

by Imnottelling



Category: Undertale
Genre: Gen, Gen Work, Give me a shout!, I promise, If you guys have any suggestions for tags, Mental Illness, Mentions of Suicide, OC-centric, Self-Harm, actually not as dark as the tags are making it out to be, mental trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-08 12:50:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 32,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7758526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imnottelling/pseuds/Imnottelling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <strong>Updates Saturdays</strong>
</p><p>You don't know how.  You don't know <em>why</em>.  You just know that, somehow, you need to escape.  But things here... they are a bit more broken than you'd first suspect.</p><p>Finley drives her car off a cliff and wakes up on a plot of yellow flowers, with no idea how A lead to B. The good news is, she knows this place -- this is all Undertale, the game she'd gotten into more than a year ago. But with an absent Frisk, Monsters remembering a past that hasn't happened, and a voice in her head, Finley has to come to terms with the fact that maybe things aren't as simple as she's making them out to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Broken Sunlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** First Undertale story, whoohoo!
> 
> Okay, yeah, anyways, I've been pretty consistent about writing this story in the last few weeks, which normally isn't a thing for me. Generally it's a big, giant burst of creativity followed by slow death, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
> 
> I've got ten chapters lined up and about ready to go already, and there only promises to be more if the pace keeps up. I'm going to keep to a weekly posting schedule, for editing reasons, so expect a new chapter every Saturday until further notice.
> 
> Now, on with the story!

* * *

 

_You wake up in a bed of golden flowers._

 

* * *

 

The first thing she noticed was that she was warm.

It wasn't the warm of blankets, or the warm of a heated room. She could tell, even with her eyes closed, that this was the tingling warmth of sunlight. It bathed the entirety of her body, and cut through even her closed eyelids in a warm, radiant red.

She opened her eyes, sun blinding her and making her shut them immediately. She grunted, closing her eyes hard enough that the red light filtering through her eyelids turned black, before slowly opening her eyes again.

_What...?_

Finley cringed. Through narrowed eyes, she was staring up, towards a hole high up above her and into the blinding light of the sun, shining like a star in the darkness.

Which, well, it kinda was.

She shifted awkwardly, hearing a rustling as she lifted her arm up and used her hand to blot out the light. She blinked away the afterimages, letting her eyes adjust to the lack of light, and realized she was staring up through craggy rocks and stalagmites at a hole in the ceiling. She turned her head quickly, from one side to the other, taking in the... cave... she was laying in, a feeling of bewilderment filling her.

Where the heck was she?

_What's going on...?_

She quickly reached back, pushing herself up, hand buried in the greenery under a large smattering of butter yellow flowers. She glanced around, taking in the lone patch of flowers she'd found herself in and the half-lit walls of the cave surrounding her.

Her eyebrows drew together. Something about the area was... off. She shook her head, looking down at the flowers and over the walls, the niggling feeling of discomfort distracting her from taking it all in. She blinked her eyes, brushing her hand through her hair, mind returning to how she'd gotten here. Nothing really jumped out at her. She tried to remember what came before waking up here... but her mind came back oddly blank. The last thing she could remember was sitting in the car and--

...Oh.

Oh.

_Huh?_

Her brain went into overdrive, trying to connect _that_ with laying in a patch of yellow flowers in a cave, and failing. She knew that if she'd hit her head hard enough that she'd probably get retrograde and anterograde amnesia, and manage to forget everything before and after the... the 'crash', but that still didn't tell her anything about how she managed to get here. Or why she still seemed to remember everything _else_ just fine.

Or why she didn't feel like death despite basically driving off the edge of a cliff. Or despite any of the other things she'd been doing at the time. She thought she'd _at least_ be a little hung over.

_You aren't... you aren't them, are you?_

She frowned, turning her head, gazing upwards, blinking at the sun mindlessly, fully aware that the only thing making her head hurt right now was the burning light in her eyes. Well. Whatever. She'll figure it out as soon as she's able to figure out where the heck she is, she imagines -- things will likely make a lot more sense after that.

She shakily moves to push herself up, before stopping. She took in her... well, rather odd choice of clothes. She looks down her front, frowning at the pair of overalls and the purple striped sweater she was wearing, another wave of discomfort rushing over her. That was just weird -- she hadn't worn overalls since she was a kid. She didn't even own any.

Wherever she was, she was walking around with clothes that weren't hers. Which was... weird, but she could live with that. This whole situation was weird, so it kinda fit. She ignored the uneasy feeling settling in her gut.

With a grunt she finally pushed herself up to her feet, only to be met with a weird feeling of near-vertigo as the shift in perspective hit her, stumbling. She blinked, looking around oddly. Everything seemed... oddly proportioned. Maybe it was the cave she was in? She glanced around suspiciously, taking in the glowing beams left by the shaft of sunlight and the slow drifts of pollen dancing in the air.

_I don't notice anything._

It suddenly hit her, eyes taking in the dip in the wall as it met the floor -- an odd feeling that she might as well be sitting at a desk, despite the fact that she was standing up. Her head tilted to the side, confused, before glancing back behind her again. Nothing specific jumped out at her -- not the flowers, or the light, or the walls of the cave. It was like everything, as one, was all pointing in some unknown direction that she didn't know.

She rubbed her arm, feeling suddenly uneasy, before stopping. She felt up her arm, pressing her fingers into the fleshy parts of her shoulder, hair-raising feeling spreading out over her skin.

Her arm wasn't... wasn't _shaped_ right. Where was her extra pudge? She patted herself down, and was immediately hit by the feeling that something _was not right_. She's always been a bit chubby, to put it lightly, but the curves and rolls and the underlying hard surfaces of her body disappeared in the delicate search of her fingers. Her stomach had smoothed out slightly, as had her sides. The jut of her hips was gone. And, reaching up, there was the sudden realization that, not only was she not wearing a bra, but that under the overalls her chest was just covered with baby fat.

She looked down her body again, mind panicking, and was hit with the sudden feeling that _the ground was too close_. Her legs where straight as could be, but it felt like she was crouching, and her feet where... they where... _smaller._

 _Everything_ was smaller.

She stared, and stared, eyes focused solely on her tiny little feet. She lifted her hand, staring down, down at her palm. The scar under her thumb is missing, and her palm is so, so small, and...

and...

These aren't really her hands, are they?

 _I'm... I'm not_ me _anymore..._

An overwhelming feeling surfaced in her mind, and she waited for the scenery to fade away like it did in a dream. It didn't. She turned her head up, staring up at the hole in the ceiling, catching sight of blue sky edging around the overwhelmingly bright sun, clenching her hands until her knuckles protested and her nails dug into her palms. Her eyes where wide. It didn't hurt enough.

She then whipped her head around, lifted her arm up, and punched herself in the thigh as hard as she could. She cursed -- high pitched even despite being under her breath. That stung like a motherfucker. More than it _usually_ did.

_Wait, stop!_

...But did that mean she wasn't really dreaming?

She quickly walked away from the flowers, light falling away from her body, and towards the closest cave wall. She reached up, tugging up the left sleeve of her sweater past her elbow, before letting out a choked cry as she slammed the side of her arm into the rock.

_Stop!_

A shock of pain went up her arm, and she had to bite her teeth and purse her lips to hold back the hiss as her face scrunched up in pain, breathing in sharply. Okay. Hitting walls on an adrenaline high was a no-no. It didn't even shake, like the walls in her room. It was definitely as solid as it looked.

She took a step back, into the light and the flowers. She rubbed at her arm and prodding at the sore spots around her wrist, where she was sure to bruise.

But then, her hand slowly fell away, realization creeping up on her mind. If it didn't feel like her body, and it didn't _look_ like her body, and she definitely wasn't dreaming, then this really _wasn't_ her--

_You're okay, you're okay. You don't have to do this-_

Finley took another shaky step back, horror creeping its way up into her brain. She felt her mind corkscrew, and immediately went about remedying the sudden twist in her thoughts as tension squeezed up her back and settled over her shoulders. Use a tool -- use a goddamned tool.

Breathe.

_You're okay._

She closed her eyes tight, falling to her knees. She breathed in like a hiccup, hands coming up to cover her mouth as hot tears started rolling down her face.

 

* * *

 

_You wake up in a bed of golden flowers, confused. Weren't you just...?_

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Well, that's that, for now. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, a lot of stuff that's going to be going on does start here. Million miles starts with the first step, and all that.
> 
> Like for example, what's with that strange italicized text? It don't seem to be coming from Finley...
> 
> Also, if you're interested in how things are going, I've been pretty annoyingly consistent about updating on my tumblr how things are going with writing. You can follow me here: sbdec.tumblr.com


	2. Golden Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Second chapter, ready to go!
> 
> ...But, wait-- didn't I say that it would be every Saturday, not every random Tuesday when I'm bored?
> 
> Yeah. Yeah, I did. But, you see, I'm bad at committing myself to being patient, so I posted early. Just don't expect this to be a normal thing, because it won't be. I'd be in trouble, if I did that...
> 
> Bah. Anyways, I'm still updating story progress over on my blog pretty regularly, if you're interested in that. You can find me at my tumblr at sbdec.tumblr.com. Right now I'm in the middle of Chapter Twelve, and hopefully by the time this Saturday rolls around, I'll have gotten to Chapter Thirteen.
> 
> ...Oh, I haven't mentioned that I'm still posting on Saturday anyways? Well, I am. See you then!

* * *

  


_You wake up. You lay back in the flowers, closing your eyes as you felt a petal brush against your cheek._

_You take a moment to enjoy the sunlight._

  


* * *

She stayed there, breathing hard, thoughts rolling over themselves in a frenzy to make sense of strange places and tiny hands, sitting in the sun on a patch of yellow flowers.

It flashed through her head, suddenly: _Am I dead...?_ She thought. _Is this what happens, when you die...? You just-- You just--_

_But you're not dead. You're here -- alive._

Tiny hands pressed into her face, heel of her palms digging into her cheeks, palms covering her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, ignoring the wetness soaking into her hands. She could hear it, some part of her, deep down, ranting at her. _You're being unbelievable._ It said. _This is ridiculous._ You're _being ridiculous. Please, cry some more -- see if it does something in this situation. Then what? What are you going to do? Hit the wall with your little baby fists again?_

_Please don't._

She shook her head, huffing shakily to herself. What the hell even _was_ this?

Finally, she wiped at her eyes, trying to blot out the hitch in her breath and the new overflow of tears that immediately replaced the ones she wiped away. Her knees where sore. Even despite the loose soil, there where a few rocks digging into her legs and pressing hard against where she rested all her weight on her knees.

She pushed herself up, feet sinking deeper into the dirt. She stumbled slightly, still unused to the odd position of her body, feet tripping over themselves to get under her. She eventually caught herself, stopping for a moment as she stared ahead at the doorway. She hesitated a moment, before sighing. _Well... I guess the only way from here is forward._

She carefully stepped forward, looking down to her feet as to not trip again, stepping through the doorway. She blinked, eyes lifting to trail down the straight hallway leading away from the room she'd found herself in, growing progressively dimmer as it moved away from the light. She could see light shining in from the other end, though -- probably from another chamber.

She frowned, eyes taking in the walls and their straight, clean shape. If this was any normal cave, they should have been wavy, and more... naturalistic. Instead, this looked like it had been cut from the rock itself, though she didn't see any tool marks or nicks on the rocky walls to give it away, even with the uneven texture. She chocked it up to being unfamiliar with stonecutting, slowly making her way down the hall. The place was still distractingly giving her the heebie-jeebies, but she elected to ignore it.

She stopped as she came to the next doorway. The doorway -- it wasn't just bare, no. It was supported by two pillars and a... watchamacallit. Whatever those decorative things where that got supported by pillars. Cornice?

She reached out, hesitantly touching the surface of the pillar closest to her, fingers trailing in the grooves. The pillar was flush with the wall -- whatever it was made of, it was the exact same stone that made up the rest of the cave. She let her fingers trail against the gap, in the space where pillar met cave wall, trying to find a seam, only to feel nothing. _Huh_. She let her hand fall. _That's some expert craftsmanship, right there._ She looked up, checking the detail at the crown. They where... Corinthian? Doric? She couldn't remember what they where called, but the columns where distinct enough with the curling scroll-like toppers that their style was apparent.

She leans forward, glancing through the doorway. Nothing. Just a large, cavernous room, barely lit by the bare, sunlit glowing patch of ground in the very center of it all, right in front of her. She immediately looked around, and blinked in confusion as she looked over the dark expanse of the room.

She glances back and forth, taking a hesitant step into the room. She bunches her eyebrows together, straining to make out the other side of the room through the gloom, but the room seems too large for the small bit of light overhead to penetrate the darkness. She sighs in frustration, stepping up to the patch of light on the floor.

_Careful..._

Suddenly, something popped straight out of the ground. She screamed in fright, stumbling over her own feet in the dark to move away from the patch of light.

A flower had appeared out of the ground. A yellow flower -- with a face. A widely smiling, _cheery_ face. "Howdy! I'm Flowey, Flowey the flower!" 

Her mouth dropped open. _Holy shit._

"Hmm..." The flowers face screwed up, looking at her consideringly. "You're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?"

Her mouth clacked shut. She swallowed, mind spinning in on itself again as her eyes went uncomfortably wide. She didn't even have the presence of mind to answer, stepping blindly backward in the dark.

Luckily, Flowey didn't seem to care. The flower beamed up at her. "Golly, you must be _so_ confused."

 _Why the fuck is there... why is_ Flowey _here?_ Her brain spun, suddenly thinking back on the patch of bright yellow flowers she'd woken up on in the other room. She could literally feel herself grow faint with how fast the blood was draining from her face. _Oh._

"Someone ought to teach you how things work around here!"

_Oh Fuck._

"I guess little old me will have to do."

Finley felt dread creep up her back.

_Don't trust him -- he's bad._

Flowey smiled wide. "Ready? Here we go!"

Her body is suddenly surrounded by a white glow, making her jump. She looks around wildly before a sudden movement near her chest draws her attention back. The light is bulging out oddly, straining like it's pulling something, and out of nowhere pops out a little reddish heart with a faint white glow. 

"See that heart?" Flowey is saying. She feels something in her chest drop, right along with her stomach. "That's your SOUL, the very culmination of your being! Your SOUL starts off weak, but can grow stronger if you gain a lot of L.V."

"W-what..." She choked out, hands shaking.

"What's L.V. stand for?" Flowey giggled slightly, still smiling brightly. "Why, LOVE, of course! You want some LOVE, don't you?"

Suddenly blinking into existence, right in front of her, was a spark of light, like a bright white firefly. She stared at it, uncomprehendingly, as it slowly meandered and danced, lopsided, through the air in front of her.

"Don't worry, I'll share some with you!"

 _Oh_ Fuck.

"Down here, LOVE is shared through... " She openly gaped at him, watching as his eyes darted to the side and grin strained oddly. "Little white... 'friendliness pellets' "

More sparks of light appeared, hovering in the air in front of her, between her and Flowey. She took another step back as they spun closer. "Are you ready?" He said, sounding excited. "Move around! Get as many as you can!"

_Run. Just fucking RUN._

_Wait, don't-_

She takes a step back, then another. She turns, stumbling away from the sparks of light, going back towards the doorway she'd come in from and running through, soul still exposed in front of her chest, lighting the way.

She's barely halfway down the hall when he pops up again, sparks of light already appearing around him. He looks annoyed. "Hey, Buddy, I think you-"

She turned around and started running again, gasping for breath, almost tripping over herself with her little child feet. She didn't know where she was going -- didn't _care_ where she was going -- as long as it was away from the flower and it's little 'friendliness pellets'.

She didn't even make it to the end of the hallway before he popped up in front of her, even closer. She skidded to a stop.

He stared up at her, warped smile and beady eyes staring up at her. "You know what's going on here, don't you?" It takes nothing from her for that same face to distort, a smile all teeth stretching out beyond the boundaries of his little, round face. It was horrifying. _"You just wanted to see me suffer."_

"N-no!"

Sparks of light suddenly dance into her vision all around her, handing in the air like a cloud of fireflies. Flowey smiles at her. "Die."

He's laughing, and laughing, and there's no where for her to run. She takes a step back, only for something to singe against her arm and make her spin around, flinching. She's completely surrounded.

She throws her arms up to cover her face.

She doesn't think to protect her soul.

_Look out!_

There's a sound like shattering glass, and pain -- _so much pain_ \-- and then blackness.

* * *

  


_You wake up. You look up, staring straight up into the sun. You blink, narrowing your eyes, and it glitters like a diamond between your eyelashes._

_So._

_You're here. Again._

_You sigh, pushing yourself to your feet. It was time to get going, anyways._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** So that's that.
> 
> Didn't take Finley too long to get herself killed, did it? Yeah. Running wasn't the best plan...
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and see you on Saturday!


	3. Fire Glow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I return!
> 
> ...Not that there was any doubt that I would, but... you know. Things happen.
> 
> Well, anyways, Good news is that I _am_ on Chapter Thirteen today, so my predictions where accurate. Bad news is that it's just barely, and that I only really finished one chapter this week. Which is pretty slow, considering I was going at two-to-three chapters per week for a while there. Hopefully next week will be a bit better.
> 
> And if any of you are reading that and going "Well, then why are we only on Chapter Three?" all I'm going to say to you is: editing. Just... editing. And as a paranoia buffer in case something goes wrong, because eventually something _will_ go wrong. It's a law of the universe.
> 
> Well, anyways, this should prove to be a fun chapter, so let's get to it:

* * *

  


_The first time you met him, you were alarmed, but not too much. He was too friendly to be really scared of, at first._

_The second time you meet him, you dodge the bullets without thinking._

_He gets angry -- much angrier than you would have expected._

_He kills you before Toriel has a chance to get to you._

_The third time..._

_Well, by the third time, you've mostly learned that it's best to play along._

 

* * *

Her eyes snap open, and suddenly she's pushing herself up, gasping for air. She blinks, feeling her hands sink into the bed of yellow flowers, and looks around. She's _here_ again. She lifts a hand, shakily resting it over her chest. _Was that... did I just..._

 _Did I just_ die _?_

_You're okay. You're okay._

She stares off to the side, down towards the hallway where she'd just been... just been...

_Breathe. Just... Breathe._

_Do you... do you hear me? You're okay._

She falls back into the flower bed. She takes a deep breath through her belly, letting it fill her lungs up like water filling a pitcher, pushing her lungs to their limit as her ribs stretched. She let it fill her, up and up and up, until her lungs burned and it felt like the pressure was filling up her head, before slowly letting it out... out... out...

Again.

It occurred to her, belatedly, as she breathed and as her lungs burned, that she'd just died twice in her life, which was literally _double_ the amount that people where expected to die. She threw the thought away on an exhale, focusing on her lungs slowly collapsing.

Again.

She breathed in. She could feel her toes in her shoes, squeezed together and warm in her socks. She could feel the short pant legs of the overalls against her thighs, the denim material rough again her skin. She could feel the soft but worn material of the sweater against her chest, going down her arms and almost covering her cold fingers. All around her, she could feel enveloped by the soft cushiony embrace of flowers, warmed by the sun. She breathed out.

She tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about it.

It wasn't working.

Again.

_You're going to be alright._

The next breath was shaky, and cut off in the middle of her belly. Her arms shook as her hands came up over her mouth. She breathed out, a stuttering, choked off wheeze. She breathed in like a hiccup, and she cupped her hands over her mouth, cutting off the odd, choked noises that came out, as her vision blurred. She blinked, as hot tears flowed down her face.

Fuck, not _again._

She shook her head, face twisting up as tears where knocked down the side of her face. Fuck, why was she doing this again? Hadn't she just gotten over crying? She laughed to herself, suddenly feeling... feeling...

She wasn't going to be allowed to die, was she?

_Can you... can you even hear me...?_

Finley closed her eyes tight, blocking out the sun. She lay still in the flowers, absorbed in the sudden thought, until she realized that her hands were shaking against her face. She sighed, letting them fall to her side with a choked sob.

 _It figures._ She took in another shaky breath. _It just figures._

Shaking her head again, she rests her head back, nestled against the flowers. Tears fall down the sides of her face, before catching on leaves and petals. Her fingers burrow around bent stems and over flowers, tugging on the tangle of plants, before settling limply at her sides again.

She stared up at the sun, letting it blind her. She blinked, more tears falling. What was she supposed to do? If she got up, if she left the room, the flower would just... would just _kill her_ again. There had to be a way out -- there had been, in the game.

...But then, where had Toriel gone?

 _Wait, how do you know about_ her _?_

Finley blinked. Huh. Well, that was odd. She huffed to herself.

...Maybe it was because she ran?

Probably. I mean, she _was_ stupid enough to run straight into a dead end instead of waiting it out, after all. It would figure that she'd miss her rescuer and die over something stupid like that. She'd just... just have to try harder not to... not to die this time.

_That's the spirit! Though I wish you could tell me how you knew about Miss Toriel..._

She sighed, wiping her face, before letting her hands flop down around her head. Well then... the only way to move was forward, wasn't it? She grunted, pushing herself up.

She hesitantly walked towards the darkened hallway, but doesn't stop. She makes her footsteps quiet, flinching at every scrape of her shoes, crossing her arms self consciously over her chest.

She lingered around the doorway, glancing into the darkened room. Her eyes trail over that one bare patch of light. She swallows reflexively. _The first steps the hardest -- you just need to take it._

_You can do it!_

She cringes, freezing up and tripping over her feet, but pushed through and takes the next one, too.

She barely flinched when Flowey pops up out of the ground this time. "Howdy! I'm Flowey, Flowey the Flo--"

"Where do you get off?"

The words slipped out without her permission, a childish little voice ringing out in the dark. Flowey paused, smiling face dropping from confusion. He raises what could be an eyebrow at her, entire tone shifting. "Huh?"

Finley shifts awkwardly. "...Nothing. It's nothing." She shrugged, hand loosening enough from across her chest to motion to him. "You're... you're Flowey the flower?"

He stares at her oddly, for just a moment, before perking up again. "Yep, that's me!" His lips purse as he looks at her, consideringly. "Hmm... You're new to the Underground, aren'tcha?"

She sighed. "Yeah."

"Golly, you must be _so_ confused."

She clutched at her arms tightly. _Fuck you._

_Language!_

"Someone ought to teach you how things work around here!" He said, nodding to himself. "I guess little old me will have to do."

"Ready? Here we go!"

She expected the light. She expected the heart. She ignored the talking, taking a step back, arms falling shakily down to her side. Her eyes darted around the room, desperately trying to take in some hint of where the hell Toriel would come from, before her eyes were drawn back by a small spark of light.

"Down here, LOVE is shared through... Little white... 'friendliness pellets' " She clenched her hands at her side. Her jaw tightens, and a desperate plan started curling itself in her mind.

Flowey just smiled, oblivious. "Are you ready?" It took everything she had to not curl her lip and send him a venomous look, face schooled into a plastic smile. "Move around! Get as many as you can!"

She can hardly breathe as she watches the little bullets get closer to her soul. When there's barely half a foot between them and her little heart, she moves to the side, smoothly side-stepping the flurry of sparking bullets.

Flowey just gives her a condescending look. "Hey Buddy, you missed th--"

She doesn't wait for him to finish. She ran up, brought her foot back, and _kicked_.

She fucking punts the little bastard across the room.

And then she started screaming. "HELP!!! SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP!!!"

_Oh my-_

Across the room, from inside the dark, there's a groan, then a curse. "You little _brat_."

Something burns into her back, and Finley yelps, stumbling away. She turns, only to see the pellets have changed direction mid-air. She backs away, into the dark corners of the room, as the air across from her fills with bright glowing pellets, lighting up a viney tangle around Flowey as he _smiles_.

"You know, I was going to make it _quick_ and _kinda painful_ , but now I just want to make you _SUFFER_."

Before she has a chance to react, Finley feels something crawling up her ankles. Her eyes dart down, seeing vines winding around her feet. She yelps, trying to pull away, but only manages to jerk in place and lose her balance. She falls over and Flowey starts laughing again. The cloud of sparks floats closer, spreading out to surround her. _"I've got you now."_

Suddenly, the sparks ignite into an inferno of fire. Finley screams, throwing her arm up to ward off the heat, before the fireball goes out, taking the bullets with it. Finley blinks into the darkness, before a fire ball shoots out and hits Flowey in the face. He grunts in pain, and she feels the vines around her feet loosen and pull away.

Then Toriel's suddenly just _there_ , fire igniting in furry hands and casting her body aglow, standing over her protectively. She's breathing hard, eyes trained on the far corner of the room where Flowey had been, before sighing loudly and letting the fire disappear from her hold. She turns around to face her, arms falling to her side, and in the dim light cast from the center of the room Finley catches the troubled look on the woman's face.

"That horrible creature, targeting poor, innocent youth." She said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, little one -- I did not think he was still lingering here like that."

Finley just... stared. _Goat-Mom is kinda intimidating when she burns things..._

 _...Did you just call Miss Toriel_ Goat _-Mom?_

"Ah, there is no need to be afraid, my child." Toriel said, misinterpreting Finley's silence. Or... well, maybe not. "I am Toriel, caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through this place every day to see if anyone has fallen down."

"You are the first human to come here in... in a while."

 

* * *

 

_The first time you met her, you where alarmed, and a little spooked from your interaction with Flowey, but her soft eyes and gentle voice had quickly soothed your jumpy nerves._

_And you know it was an accident -- you knew from the second you looked up into her horrified face -- but it was quite a bit harder to say hello to her the second time around after she'd already killed you._

_That was the first time you'd died._

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Heee. It's always the quiet ones, who have the unexpected tempers...
> 
> If you liked, don't forget to leave some kudos or a comment! Comments aren't too hard, if you really think about it -- just think back on which part you really liked, or maybe a line that really got to you, and talk about that a little, and the rest should hopefully just come out.
> 
> ...This whole thing is really reminding me that I need to comment on other people's stuff more. Man, kinda bad at that...
> 
> Also, if you want to follow me for more annoyingly frequent updates about the progress on this fic, you can follow me at sbdec.tumblr.com.


	4. Ruin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another week, another chapter for your reading pleasure.
> 
> As of writing this, I've just finished writing Chapter Thirteen. Which is disappointing. I guess I spoiled myself, writing at two-to-three chapters a week, those first few weeks. Kinda hoping it comes back, but, eh, as long as there's steady progress.
> 
> And, uh, if any of you notice anything with the tenses, I'm trying out present tense, instead of past tense or whatever mix of the two I was doing in earlier chapters. It'll be a little messy, because I'm generally bad at this sort of stuff, but it'll clean itself up with some practice. I'll be sure to go back and clean up the first few chapters in time, too. Tell me if you think it's too weird, okay? I've still got the file for the older version, so it's easy enough to switch out if enough people are weirded out by it.
> 
> Oh! And I've been kinda skimping on it this fic, but usually I thank people who like/fav/follow and the like. Kinda a bit odd here, since this story in particular is on both AO3 and ff.net, but we'll make due.
> 
> Thank you Hereisthere_gg, Work_in_Procastination, SkikdiSkies, mute_fickle_words, and Laufente for leaving kudos. Thank you Hereisthere_gg, Work_in_Procastination, SkikdiSkies, and Tribbit_Tea for bookmarking. Thank you Airal and Phantaum for following. Thank you Phantaum for faving. And thank you to all Guests and Mysterious-Logged-In-People for doing any of the above and more!

* * *

 

_You realized the first time you took her hand, that she made you feel safe in a way you hadn't felt in what seemed a long time._

 

* * *

The queen is _tall_.

Now, usually this wasn't a big thing -- Finley had learned to get over people being taller and bigger than her, being on the short side of normal for a woman, even if it's still a little intimidating.

But when you've been shrunk down to a few feet suddenly and without warning, and are confronted with someone who isn't just tall, but who _towers_ over you, it's a bit different.

Toriel is _friggin' huge_.

"This is the puzzle, but..." Toriel frowns, looking back towards her from the very edge of the bridge. "Here, take my hand for a moment." She reaches down, and Finley's tiny hand is taken in a large, furred one. It is a very odd feeling, having her hand taken by someone much larger than her. She got the sense that it'd happened before, long ago, back when she was even smaller than she was now. She couldn't remember going anywhere, or doing anything in particular, but it made her feel oddly... safe.

Finley's face twists up slightly, and she fights not to fidget in the woman's furry grasp. _Weird..._

But, she guesses it counted as a good thing anyways, because those spikes? Not safe. Not safe at all. "So... we're just gonna... go across?"

_Yep._

"Precisely." Toriel says. "Just hold on tight, and follow my lead."

Toriel lifts her foot over the spikes and gently lowers it down. And, as her foot rests on the spikes, something inside the platform of the bridge gives a groan, lowering gently until the entire section of spikes is flush with the floor. Toriel turns to look down at her, smiling. "See?"

Finley hesitantly smiles back, nodding, before letting her eyes dart back down to the spikes. "Yeah."

Finley watches as Toriel takes another step forward, then another. Their linked arms stretches out limply between them, and she hesitantly follows as Toriel steps on the next section of spikes.

The game really didn't do a good job capturing how nerve-wracking this place was. And maybe she was being wimpy about it, but come on -- these where real, live puzzles, that at the very least _look_ like they could hurt you. It wasn't much of a stretch, to imagine they actually could. This one was by far the worst, but that didn't mean it wasn't nerve wracking to pull switches and push buttons when there could be innumerable traps involved, too.

The game, you weren't completely surprised to find out, wasn't completely to scale, either. It took a bit of walking to make it to the Ruins proper, through some rather dark caves linked together with tunnels carved through the rock. You'd think it'd make a rather impressive cave to go spelunking through on its own, but you honestly didn't know enough about the practice to even think about moving away from Toriel and the light her fire provided. It was just plain too creepy.

Well, anyways, the game just plain doesn't do this place justice -- the outside of the Ruins is _huge_. It had towered over you, stories tall, reaching up all the way to the cave's ceiling, which was an impressive height by itself. And those stairs -- they arched up by _at least_ a floor.

Heck, the inside was huge, too! Those pillars weren't tiny little things -- most where enough to dwarf Toriel, who was able to move about completely freely through their rooms and doorways, which wasn't something you could claim if she'd been moving in any old human house.

It, all in all, filled you with a sense of awe that you hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"There." Toriel says, sighing as they steps off the last set of spikes, letting go of Finley's hand. "Puzzles seem a little _too_ dangerous, for now."

Finley paused, looking back over the spikes with trepidation, wondering how... "friendly" the rest of the puzzles would be in real life. "Yeah."

Toriel then leads her through another doorway, into... well, darkness. She lit another fire in her hands, lighting the area around them, but it wasn't nearly enough to completely penetrate the gloom over the area. Finley looks around, frowning. Whatever was lighting the rooms must not be working in here.

"You have done excellently thus far, my child." Toriel says, turning around. "However... I have a difficult request to ask of you." Finley looks at her in concern -- she looks bothered about something, as she pauses. It hung in the air for a while, and for a moment all that was between them was the dancing of flames.

Finally, Toriel sighs, seemingly steeling herself. She reaches down to her side, flames gathering in a single hand as she fiddles with what looked like some sort of pouch. "Here, little one. I always bring one, just in case." She pulls something out, reaching down and handing what looks like a flashlight to Finley. "I would like you to walk to the end of the room by yourself." Toriel looks down at her, looking pained. "Forgive me for this."

Then, Toriel runs off into the darkened room. Finley just stands there, as her thumping footsteps fade off with her figure.

Then, the light goes out.

Finley blinks.

Then, she blinks again.

_Wow, okay -- that was quick._ She thinks. _I thought for sure there where more puzzles or something before she did this..._

_Nope, it happens like this every time. I really wish you could tell me how you knew about all of this, though..._

Finley frowns. And seriously, though it kinda made sense now that she thought about it, what was with the flashlight? Not that she was gonna complain -- it was dark as hell in here -- but what?

But anyways, with, well, nothing else to really _do_ , she turns the flashlight over in her hands, quickly finding the little slide-button and clicking it on, immediately blinding herself. She blinks dazedly to clear her vision, turning her head away as she turns the flashlight around to point it at the ground.

She feels at the plastic in her grasp, using her free hand to shine some light on its side to examine it more in the glow. It's pretty light-weight. Maybe not cheap, per se, but it isn't exactly a MagLite either. She couldn't exactly use this thing to beat the crap out of whatever decides to jump out at her in the dark.

_Oh, please,_ please _don't do that. The monsters here really aren't that bad, I promise._

...Well, okay, she could _try_ , but she'd probably just break the flashlight. Which would be dumb, because, again, it was dark in here.

After a moment of just standing there kinda dumbly, Finley starts walking, the only sound left in the room being her small footsteps. She frowns to herself, looking down at her tiny feet again. She could just barely catch the outline of her little sneakers in the glow of the flashlight as it bounces with her walk, and not much else. She really wished she'd get an explanation for the suddenly being tiny thing, but something tells her that it's going to be a long time coming.

So, she just focuses on the room itself, directing the flashlight around to get a better look. She caught sight of some vines on the far walls (lord knows how those where alive), and also the occasional pillar, but not much else. She sighs in frustration, continuing to walk. She has to say, she didn't like the place much. It was far too... creepy, in here. And after her death-defying stunt earlier, it wasn't really appreciated.

Finley tilts her head. She wonders vaguely where Flowey had gone after their little altercation, but ultimately decided that it didn't matter. He can do whatever he wanted, as long as it was far, far away from her.

Then, suddenly, she stops. She thinks for a moment, before quickly whipping around. She internally curses to herself as she catches a flash of yellow near the ground, near a patch of now-disturbed earth.

Yep, he was following her.

_...Oh. I didn't... didn't know he was following along like_ that...

Hopefully she'd be lucky and he'd be curious enough to leave her alone, but who could even guess when it came to him. She decides to walk faster.

And that's when Toriel decided to pop out from behind a pillar and she had to hold herself back from instinctively throwing the flashlight at the woman's head.

_No! Bad Fin -- don't fling your lightsource at the queen!_

_Oh, please don't hurt Miss Toriel!_

"Greetings, my child." Toriel says, lighting a fire in her hands. "Do not worry, I did not leave you. I was merely behind this pillar the whole time. Thank you for trusting me."

_Your welcome!_

"Y-your welcome."

Toriel smiles, before her face quickly became serious again. "However, there was an important reason for this exercise -- to test your independence. I must attend to some business--" _she means baking pie_ "--and you must stay alone for a while."

Finley twitched slightly, fiddling with the flashlight as she looks disbelievingly around the darkened room. _You're seriously leaving me in_ here _?!?_

"Please, remain here." Toriel says, imploringly. "It's dangerous to explore by yourself."

Yep, she was doing it. Crap.

_Language!_

Toriel paused for a moment, thoughtful, before smiling. "I have an idea." She says, reaching down into her pouch again. "I will give you a cell phone."

_Who just happens to carry around a spare cell phone?_ Finley thinks. _Actually, who leaves little kids alone in a strange, dark room?_

_Um... she means well?_

"If you have an need for anything, just call." She says, sending Finley a smile. "Be good, alright?"

Toriel then turns, and leaves her in the dark, dark room.

 

* * *

 

_You remember crying, the first time she left you alone._

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Okay, so. First time it's really noticeable that I changed shit around. Hope you liked, and I hoped the "abandonment" bit actually made a goddamned lick of sense, because even in the game that's kinda... yeah.
> 
> And again, I know the tense thing is a little weird at first, but... uh... you get used to it? Maybe? I mean, I kinda like it...
> 
> Okay yeah, if it disturbs you I can totally change it.


	5. Monthly Premium Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hey, kiddies.
> 
> So, the last week has been hell. Got sick, then I got more sick, and then I got _more_ sick. It all kinda compounded into a disaster. Had to miss work over it, but I'm glad I did at least that -- moving around just made things worse.
> 
> I _did_ finish Chapter Fourteen pretty early, though, so that's good. It's an awesome chapter -- I'm sure you'll love it. Needs some editing (everything does), but it's great. Just about done with Chapter Fifteen too, which is a mess at the moment, but also still good.
> 
> So anyways, on with the Thanks:
> 
> Thank you Wonkie for leaving kudos and bookmarking the story. Thank you KuroganeKrad for favving and following. Thank you to that One-Mysterious-Logged-In-Person, for subscribing. And that one Guest for leaving kudos. You're awesome, dudes.

* * *

  


_You complimented her, on everything from the color of her eyes to the softness of her fur to the warmth of her hand._

_You'd even gone so far as to compliment her on her cooking -- before you'd technically eaten any of it._

_She'd laughed for a good long while, at that one._

  


* * *

Finley stares down at the cellphone.

It wasn't a brick. That was the highest compliment she could pay the thing. Because _God_ was it old. Wrapped in textured black plastic, with little gummy buttons in the number pad and a calculator screen, the thing was just... _sad_. It wasn't even a flip phone -- it was just depression compressed into a box connected to cell towers.

...Which, now that she thought of it, she _really_ had to wonder how that worked underground.

_I never bothered thinking about it. Magic?_

Hmm... Well, either way, she'd been hanging out in the darkened room for a while now. She had no idea what Toriel was doing, but it probably took a while to travel through the ruins, buy groceries, prepare a pie, and then head _back_ through the ruins to come and get her. It translated to her having sat here with the flashlight for what felt like a long, long time.

She slumps down until she lies on the ground, puffing out her cheeks before releasing an overwrought sigh. She knew for a fact that she usually wasn't this impatient, but without any of her usual gadgets to distract her, it was getting pretty tedious, just sitting here. And there was only so much you could do, fiddling with a flashlight and a cellphone, although boredom does breed some surprising creativity.

_I'm so bored right now, I could eat the flashlight._

Finley huffs to herself in frustration, rolling over.

Suddenly, she sits up, an idea occurring to her. She grabs the phone, pressing 1, then the area code, and then suddenly with a few beeps she's calling a familiar number, fingers twitching anxiously as she puts her box-of-depression to her ear, and waits.

There's a dial tone, before it cuts out in a familiar tri-tone. _"We're sorry, but the number you have dialed does not seem to be in service."_ Finley raises her eyebrow at the unfamiliar, bubbly voice.

 _"And you know what that means!""_ Another voice chimes in.

 _"Oh it's the wrong number! The wrong number song~!"_ They chorus. _"We're very very sorry but you got it wrong! Oh it's the wrong number! The wrong number so-"_

Finley let's the phone drop, ending the call.

...She didn't even know why she expected that to work. She sighs, dropping the phone near the flashlight so she'd be able to find it again, before laying back.

_...What in the world was that about?_

Honestly, why did Toriel even think something like this was a good idea? She could understand, vaguely, trying to leave a kid in an otherwise abandoned room for their own protection, but... doing it just for a surprise pie? Who's to say a monster wouldn't wander in anyways, attracted by the light? Or, even more likely, that the kid would get bored and go exploring anyways? Which would be dumb, but kids where like that, you know...?

_Wha- hey!_

...Okay, she admitted it -- she was already kinda tempted to just go and check out the monster candy, but that would require, well, interacting with _monsters_ , which was... which was sounding like a bad idea. And maybe fighting with Flowey had prejudiced her against the whole notion, but... she really didn't want to fight anyone again.

_I'm honestly kinda worried about him. I didn't expect him to be so quiet and... sneaky. It's creepy._

The thought was cut off by a sudden ringing, making Finley start. She glances around a moment, before realizing her... "new" cellphone was going off. She quickly picks it up, glancing over the number pad before hitting the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Toriel. My errands are taking longer than I thought they would. You must wait five more minutes."

"Alright, I can do that."

"Thank you for being patient."

_Your Welcome!_

"Goodbye." Click.

Finley stares down at the phone, before ending the call. Well, okay then -- sounds like it wouldn't take too much longer, at least. That was good news.

Then, the flashlight went out.

Leaving her in a silent, pitch black room.

_...Well fuck that noise._

_Language!_

She shuffles around the ground to grab the phone and the flashlight, before slowly making her way towards where she remembers the door being, arms outstretched. She felt her fingers bump into stone, making her flinch, before she trails her fingers along and felt out the pillar lining the doorway.

It was a slow trek, and Finley had to trail her fingers over the wall to know where she was even going, but the hallway did light up slowly after a while, and she was eventually able to let her arm drop.

She exits the hallway with a sigh, taking in the new room with a quick glance to the right -- and then she was suddenly surrounded in a familiar white light. Her eyes went wide as her soul popped out. _What?_

She is answered by a little white, glowing fly, which darts closer to her soul from her left. She whips around, flinching as the glowing fly hits her in the chest and her eyes land on... a giant white... frog.... thing.

A Froggit.

 _Wow, I didn't know they where_ actually _white._ She thinks dumbly, blinking in confusion, before spotting more white flies and cursing under her breath. She moves to the side, twisting away from them -- and almost trips over her own feet in the process. One of the flies darts too close, glancing over her soul and bursting in a flash of light. Finley hisses in pain, feeling it deep in her chest and creeping up her back and down her arms, leaving a stinging sensation in its wake. And then the thing _jumps_ at her, and she barely had the wherewithall to swing the flashlight at it.

The Froggit yelps in pain, high-pitched and obviously surprised, being sent flat on its back onto the floor. She steps backwards, wary, holding out the flashlight like it might actually be able to do something in this situation. The Froggit sends out what sounded like a pained 'ribbit', rolling slowly off of its back and onto its front, looking up at her warily.

_Oh no..._

Finley cringes. The thing honestly looks like it was in pain. But...

How do you go about just _showing_ mercy in real life?

_Tell him you didn't mean it, that you don't want to fight!_

Finley opens her free hand, showing her palm. "Hey." The Froggit looked at her oddly. Slowly -- just in case it decided to attack -- she kneels and puts down her flashlight, quickly standing up with both hands up and open to the Froggit. "I don't want to fight, okay? Peace?"

The Froggit looks at her a moment, startled, before nodding with a croak. She smiled. "Thanks." She quickly leaned forward, wobbling slightly as she snatches up the flashlight, before glancing back at the Froggit. "I'm just gonna get going, okay?"

The Froggit just looked at her, pensively, before croaking and tipping its head.

* * *

  


_You never, ever, called her 'Mom', even though part of you really wanted to._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** On further reflection, adding in the Wrong Number Song is less funny than I thought it'd be. Ah well -- makes more sense than a human dial tone message.
> 
> Anyways, see you next week!


	6. Distinct Non-Licorice Flavor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another Saturday, another chapter.
> 
> Things have been slow going, this week. I've been working on the story, sure, but just going really... really slow about it. I guess after all the excitement of Chapter Fourteen, it's expected that things would start going a little slower. I still managed to finish a chapter this week, though, even if it's short and needs work and, like, heavy edits.
> 
> But anyways, since there isn't much else to report, on to the thanks:
> 
> Thank you ShlidaSkye and TacoTurd777 for favving. Thank you TacoTurd777 for following. Thank you Tarand, CallaCaptor, and guest for giving kudos. And Thank you Mysterious-Logged-In-Person for Bookmarking.

* * *

  


_Things got easier, once you learned how to SAVE._

_It was so much more than what it looked like, from the outside._

_The simple pleasures, the fleeting moment, the happy memories slipping in time._

_The things you thought you lost._  


* * *

Once she was done talking to the Froggit, Finley made a bee-line towards the room on the left.

She smiles as she walks in, immediately spotting the stone dais with the bowl sitting on top, barely able to see the pile of candy over the edge of the bowl. She steps forward, quickly glancing over the little placard: 'Take One'.

_Hmm, I wonder if these things will really heal me..._

_Yep, they do. It's pretty neat!_

Finley raises an eyebrow, before glancing down at her chest. She pokes at where the fly had hit her, cringing at the dull pain. She lifts up her undamaged sweater, ducking her head down to peek underneath. There is a patch of very irritated skin, top layer worn off, red and weeping. She supposes that isn't too bad.

Now to test it.

She reaches up and gently snatches up a candy. She untwists the wrapper and pops the candy into her mouth. It has a strong, distinct flavor that almost reminds her of licorice, but at the same time didn't. She also thinks it's a hard candy, but with the way it quickly dissolved on her tongue she was soon second guessing herself. _Maybe it's like a butter mint?_

_What's a butter mint?_

Then, swallowing down what remains of non-licorice taste, she realizes there was a warm, soothing tingling coming from inside her chest. Finley blinks, placing a hand over her heart, before removing her hand and flexing it a little. Huh. That's odd -- everything felt looser and more relaxed, now, like some invisible strain had been removed from inside her body. Weird. 

She lifts her shirt again, quickly shoving the wrapper into her pocket as she spots the wound. It was already looking much less red and irritated, but that really just made her wonder about anything larger than a spider bite. _Maybe it's meant to only heal the soul...?_

She glances back up at the bowl. _But... considering that's what Flowey and the Froggit where aiming for, I'm not sure that's a bad thing._

And well... not to be that person, but she'd kinda like to _survive_ here.

_Wait, what are you-- no. That's bad. No, no no-_

She reaches up with both hands, carefully taking hold around the lip of the bowl. She grunts as she lifts it up, the bowl wobbling shaking in her tiny hands. She takes a step back, bowl shaking unsteadily, before slowly crouching with the bowl, cringing as the rim knocks against the dais on the way down.

She sighs as she finally rests it on the ground, kneeling down beside it. She then proceeds to stuff every last pocket on her overalls, shoving them down both side pockets and the one front and center.

She shifts around the cellphone idly, making sure she could reach it in a sea of pocket-candy, before standing up. It was very... crinkly. She scrunches up her nose, before reaching down and pick up the (now much lighter) bowl and placing it square on the dais. _That's one big, heavy bowl._

_You shouldn't have done that._

Finley smiles to herself, nodding. She couldn't really see the candy from that angle anymore, but she'd still left more than half of it in there, and that was more than good enough in her book.

She turns around, heading out of the room, only for something to crash loudly behind her, making her jump. She whips her head around, alarmed, only to see the bowl broken in pieces on the side of the dais, candy scattered around and sinking down into the water.

_See? I told you._

Finley stares, frozen in place, before slowly turning around. She stares down at the broken bits of bowl, to the candy scattered over the floor, eyebrows drawing together. She thought _for sure_ she put the bowl down flat on the dais...

She took a step back, before turning around, eyes still over her shoulder on the dais as she left the room.

Finley rubs her arm as she walks into the larger chamber, glancing behind her still as she walks away from the room. There was a crinkling noise under her feet, making her start slightly, and she turns to realize she'd started going off the path and into a patch of leaves off to the side, near the wall of the chamber. She smiles, taking a moment to inspect the pile of leaves, before lifting her feet and stomping deeper into it.

Her feet sank into the pile of leaves without preamble, a slight springiness to each step as she made her way to the center. She reaches down, grabbing a handful of leaves, and, holding them over her head, laughing as they rain down again onto the pile. _You're completely and utterly ridiculous._

_It isn't ridiculous -- it's fun!_

Finley's smile wanes slightly, before she collapses back onto the pile of leaves, letting it take the weight of her entire body, letting her smile go wide as she let herself relax. _Yep, you are totally, totally ridiculous._

Her body then glows again, causing her to tense. She pushes herself up, getting ready for another altercation -- cursing herself for getting distracted -- before her eyes land on a very nervous looking monster in the corner. Finley blinks, watching as the little yellow thing flaps nervously, not attacking despite her soul now being exposed.

She slowly pushes herself up until she was sitting, putting her hands out like she had with the Froggit. "Hey-"

The thing darts away before she even finishes the first word, whimpering as it darts down the hallway at the other end of the room. Finley stares as her soul sank back into her body, perplexed. _Well, okay then._

She pushes herself to her feet, sighing. Well, that was enough playing for now -- it was a bit too dangerous to be doing that, anyways. Who knows what might come after her next.

With that thought, she wanders towards the hallway where she saw the monster run off, hoping to find Toriel before she ran into any puzzles. She stretches her arms over her head as she enters the hallway, letting her arms flex and strain before resting her hands behind the back of her neck. _Wonder if I'll ever get the chance to actually talk to any of these monsters..._

Probably not.

Then you take another stop.

_Wait, look out for the-_

Then suddenly you where

**falling.**

**The seatbelt catches you weightless above your seat, and your heart pounds in a way that makes your stomach churn as suddenly instead of facing forward you're facing _down_.**

**Your shoved back into your seat, and your mouth opens -- to scream, to shout, to do _something_ \-- but there isn't _time-_**

Finley's legs fold in on themselves in a pile of leaves, choking off the scream in her throat. She bounces, before falling flat on her face in the leaves. She sputters, spitting out leaf debris, before pushing herself unsteadily up off of the giant pile of leaves.

 _What... what was_ that _?_

She plops herself down, sitting in the pile, staring out blankly as her heart pounds. _What the hell was_ that _?_

* * *

  
_There where so many feelings, so many sensations... and you realized._

_They reminded you._

_When things where calmer, the memories came back. In cascades and droves._

_It scared you._

_But it also filled you with **Determination.**_  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Pretty calm, this chapter.
> 
> Well, except for the end, there. Heh.
> 
> Remember, if you want (annoyingly frequent) updates on how the story is going, you can find me on tumblr at sbdec.tumblr.com.


	7. Fallen Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Yo.
> 
> Not much going on. Didn't finish a chapter this week, which is the bad news, though I did make some progress with Chapter Sixteen, but it's really only still half done.
> 
> Also thinking of getting a new computer, but that shouldn't effect things on here all that much, except for making it easier to write on the go. So, net positive for you guys. Still a few months until I get enough money together, though, so you're going to have to sit on that one for a while.
> 
> But anyways, on to the thanks and the chapter!
> 
> So, thank you Silent Midnight Shadow for following the story.

* * *

 

_You supposed, had things been different, had you been more afraid, you'd have attacked the monsters back._

_But Toriel told you to talk to them._

 

* * *

 

Finley stares up at the ceiling, watching breathlessly as what look like stone tile fragments drift up from the pile of leaves and patched up the hole she'd fallen in through. She blinks, shaking her head, before turning back to her thoughts, trying to steady her heartbeat by taking a breath.

She frowns. For a second it was like... like living through it again, in miniature. Like she wasn't even here, living her life now, while she was thinking back on what had happened before. Was that what a flashback was supposed to be like...?

_That wasn't a flashback._

She shivers. She hopes not. Finley rubs her shoulder, trying to ease the sudden tension. She knew things like death where supposed to be traumatic no matter which side of the fence you where on, but that-- that was a bit much.

She rubbed her head, suddenly remembering the feeling of weightlessness before being dragged down by her seatbelt, suddenly feeling sick. Yeah, that was... that was a bit much.

She sighs, finally pushing herself up shakily onto her feet, glancing around the room. There where two separate doorways leading out of there, and she chose the one on the right, slowly swishing her way though the leaves on her way towards the door. Where did these leaves even come from, anyways?

_I don't know -- I always wondered that, too._

She found a set of stairs leading upwards, and found herself on the opposite side of the hallway she'd started on. She sent a wary glance at the floor, only to realize that the tiles had thin but obvious cracks running through them the whole time. She huffs. _Well gee, guess I should have looked where I stepped._

_I really wish I had some way to warn you..._

She sighs, stepping out of the doorway, and jumps as it suddenly vanishes into nothing. She stares, alarmed, at the stone wall left behind. She tilts her head, lifting her hand to brush up against the new stone, only for it to vanish and the doorway to reappear as her hand sank through. She pulls her hand back, letting the doorway disappear again. _Whoah, creepy._

She steps away from the hidden doorway, heading onward to the next room. She stops when her cellphone starts going off. Finley curses ( _Language!_ ) as she tries to dig the phone out of its candy grave, smiling in triumph when she finally succeeds. "Hello?"

"Hello... This is Toriel."

"Hi Toriel." Finley says.

"I found what I was looking for." She says. "But before I could take it... a small, white puppy snatched it away. How odd..."

Finley raises an eyebrow. "That is pretty unexpected."

"It was. Do dogs even _like_ flour?" Toriel asks, seemingly to herself. "...Err, that is an unrelated question, of course."

Finley tries not to laugh. "Of course."

"But it will take me a little longer. Please understand." Toriel says. "And... for no reason in particular... which do you prefer? Cinnamon or butterscotch?"

"Butterscotch." Finley says, smiling.

"Oh, I see. Thank you very much!"

_You're Welcome!_

"Sure, you're welcome, Toriel." Finley says. "Is that it?"

"Yes, that will be all. I will be back shortly."

"Bye, then."

"Goodbye." Click.

Finley had barely taken another step, and the phone went off again. She snags it from inside her pocket, hitting the call button. "Hello?

"Hello? This is Toriel."

"Hey, Toriel."

"You do not _dislike_ cinnamon, do you?" She asks. "I know what your preference is, but... would you turn up your nose if you found it on your plate?"

"No, of course not."

"Right, right, I understand." She says. "Thank you for being patient, by the way."

_Your Welcome!_

Finley smiles wanly, glancing back at the hallway guiltily. "Yeah... see you soon?"

"I will see you soon, yes."

"Well, bye then."

"Goodbye." Click.

Finley releases a giant sigh, dipping the phone back into its bed of candy. "Jeeze." She continues on into the next room. She immediately spots a rock, a row of spikes, and what looks like... molded... jello?

And then she starts glowing, just as the notices the jello moving, and remembers this was a videogame. Or at least something a lot like one.

_What do you mean, a videogame? This isn't a videogame._

The jello made some disgusting squirting noises and lights appeared all around it, much like Flowey's, though FInley was happy to note that these ones moved _much_ slower. She sidesteps one easily as she shows her palms, putting the flashlight between her thighs. "Hey, I don't want any trouble." She says, feeling foolish for talking to something that didn't even talk. Or have a face.

The lights flicker out, one by one, and the jelly (Moldsmol, she reminds herself) made another squorch noise. She sent it a dubious look, before finally turning to the rock.

It wasn't too big looking, though certainly not small enough to pick up. There was an obvious groove for it in the floor for it, leading to a large button. She steps up to the button, pressing it down with her feet, and watches as the row of spikes lowered. She steps off, and they raised back up. Well, that was definitely what the rock was for. She turns back to the rock, giving it a look, before sighing and trekking on back to move the damn thing.

It took some time, and crouching down awkwardly to slide it over the floor, but eventually she was able to move it over the button. The spikes fell without fanfare -- except from Finley, who sighs in relief, because her tiny little arms where _tired_.

She sighs, walking into the next room, when the phone rang -- _again._

Finley huffs in frustration. What in the world did this woman _want?_ Finley rolls her eyes, hitting the call button again, putting it up against her ear. "Hey."

"Hello?" She heard from the other end.

Finley raises an eyebrow. "Hello? Toriel?"

"You do not have any allergies, do you?"

"I can't eat nuts." She says. "They won't kill me, but they'll make me sick as a dog."

"Oh." Toriel says, sounding disappointed. "Well that's unfortunate."

"Yeah, nuts are really good for you." She says, leaning against a wall. "You need anything else?"

"No, that is all." Toriel says. "I will be on my way shortly. You only need to wait a bit longer."

"Okay." Finley says, absently glancing into the next room, but not seeing much despite the large size. "Well, see you soon."

"Yes, see you soon. Goodbye."

"Bye." Click.

Finley put the phone away... and then immediately froze as she saw the same hair-like fractures on the stones that she'd seen earlier. Covering the entire room. All the way to the next hallway. "Nope." Finley says, poking the walls until the doorway appears. "Nope, nope, nope."

_Hehe, that's actually pretty smart._

Down the stairs she went. And, lo and behold, she found a room literally _filled_ with leaves. It reminds her oddly of a ball pit. She blinks, looking up -- on the ceiling, along with the same, cracked tiles, was large blocks sticking out of the walls and under the ceiling, supporting sections of the floor above, conveniently showing where it was safe to walk. Perfect. She wanders off, into the ball pit, looking up and counting steps.

It took a while of paranoidly counting tiles and walking slowly over the expanse of cracked stone -- it took her quite a few trips up and down the stairs to talk herself into even taking the first step, convinced she'd gotten it wrong -- but she did make it across. She was too scared to just jump off the last square onto safe ground, so she took one shaky step off of the puzzle room floor, releasing a sigh.

She walks into the next room, and-- "Oh Jesus Christ." _More_ rocks and _more_ buttons. Finley groans, trudging up to the first rock, setting herself up for more awkward pushing.

After a long while of pushing and grunting, she finally got the center stone onto the button. Now, turning to the right, she awkwardly crouches down and got ready to start pushing.

Only for the rock to suddenly twitch in her hands and a voice to ring out. "WHOA there, pardner!" Finley jumps in surprise, falling on backside in shock. "Who said you could push me around?"

"W-what?" She stutters out, staring at the... the _talking_ rock.

Oh, right -- videogame. She kept forgetting. She actually remembers this part.

 _You do?_ How _?_

"What, haven't you seen a talking rock before?"

"Um... no?"

"Well you have now, so don't go trying to push me around again, you hear?"

"Y-yeah... sorry." Finley says awkwardly, pushing herself to her feet. "Um." She glances over towards the button, before looking back at the rock. It took her a moment, standing there indecisively, before finally asking. "Look, if you don't want to be pushed, could you... move over there?" She says, pointing.

"Hmm? So you're _askin'_ me to move over?" The rock said, thoughtfully.

"Yeah -- please."

"Okay," the rock said, "just for you, pumpkin."

Finley shifts awkwardly as the stone slowly moves down the grooved track... before stopping only part of the way. "Um, could you keep going? I need you to stay on that button over there for a bit."

The rock turns slightly, as though just catching sight of her. "Hmm? You want me to move some more?"

"Yeah."

"Alrightly, how's this?" The rock moves off the track entirely, not moving any closer to the button.

_Oooh boy. That rock always does this._

Finley frowns. "No, the button -- I need you on the button."

"Hmm?" The rock turnes again, this time in the other direction as though to stare at the button. "Then that was the wrong direction?"

Finley huffs. "Yeah."

"You want me on that button over there?" 

"Yep."

"Okay, I think I got it." The rock moves back onto the track, sliding on until it depressed the button.

Finley smiles, giving the rock a thumbs up. "Cool, thanks!"

_I wouldn't thank them just yet._

"No problem, kiddo."

She then turns to the last button, giving a lengthy sigh as she stares down at it. "I don't suppose you could _also_ be a talking rock, huh?" She mutters, reaching down to poke at it experimentally. It didn't react. She just sighs again, crouching down to give it a push.

After a good long while, Finley gave a final grunt as she pushes the rock over the button, hearing it shudder as it pressed down on whatever machinery was used to make everything in the room work. She glances up at the row of spikes on the bridge, expecting to see them lowered... and they just stayed exactly where they where.

_Wait, if this is playing out like in the game, then-_

She turns, glancing over to the errant stone on her right. "Hey, could you actually _stay_ on the button, at least until I leave the room?" She said, trying not to sound too frustrated.

"Hmm? You wanted me to _stay_ there?" The rock said, almost seeming to mock her. "You're giving me a real workout."

Finley rolls her eyes. _Okay, now I_ know _you're playing with me._ "Well, I could always just push you, If you want." She said flatly. "Besides, I just need you to stay there while I cross the bridge. It's not too hard to wait a minute." She shook her head, frustration creeping back into her voice. "And what would have happened if you'd have left when I was walking over the spikes, huh?" She huffs. "Nothing good, I can tell you that much."

_They didn't mean it like that..._

"Aww, 'cmon pumkin, don't be like that." The rock says admonishingly, before moving back onto the button. "I was just playing around. Here, I'll wait while you cross the bridge. And don't worry about me moving -- I'll watch for you until you leave, you hear?"

Finley sighs in relief. "Thank you."

She walks towards the bridge, hesitating a moment -- she forces herself to not look back at the rock, that'd just be rude -- before crossing the bridge. She was already a few paces into the hallway beyond before she heard the spikes raise again. She calls back a quick, "Thanks again!" before continuing on.

 

* * *

 

_And your mom always told you to put your best foot forward when meeting new people, no matter what they where like._

_So, you did._

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Eh, I guess not that much happened this chapter. Don't worry -- next one is better. There's even puns.


	8. Ephemeral Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Well, I had a hectic week. Turned in three job applications/resumes, and got three interviews. Probably won't get any of them, the way these interviews are going, but there's still hope in my heart.
> 
> Again didn't finish a chapter this week, but not too worried about it. I have enough to last me until mid November, and by then I'll be stuck in NaNoWriMo so deep, writing basically a chapter a day for this thing, that no one will notice the difference.
> 
> But anyways, the thanks:
> 
> Thank you Shadow Pillow for following/favving. Thank you AxZi for leaving kudos, and thank you again AxZi for leaving a comment (you can officially brag that you where the first one, now). And thank you to Mysterious-Logged-in-Person for nabbing a bookmark.

* * *

  


_The first time you fought a monster, you where still teary from being left behind._

_You don't like thinking about it, but the Froggit probably went easy on you because you'd been crying._  


  


* * *

 

Finley blinks as her eyes land on a table in the hallway, a block of cheese and nothing else sitting on it. It was kinda random, but then again this entire place was like that, so she just rolls with it and keeps walking, idly poking the cheese as she goes by.

The hallway then spread out into a vast, decorative hall, leaves lining the corners and the ceiling turning tall and grand again. She walks forward, glancing around at the leaves and the ceiling, before passing though a chokepoint in the hallway.

_You just need to keep going straight, and you should be good._

Finley sighs, continuing on. The hallway was long, and straight, bulging out only to be cut off in another chokepoint, over and over again. There where a lot of doorways, making Finley uneasy -- who knows which was the right one? -- but she just stuck with the straight hallway, for now. If she got lost, she could always call Toriel, but she wasn't about to wander off and make things worse on herself.

"zzzzzz, zzzzzz."

She heard him before she saw him.

"zzzzzz, zzzzzz."

There he was, in the middle of the next chokepoint, laying on a bed of leaves. Suddenly appearing as though from through a mist.

_Blooky!_

Finley hesitates, glancing down the hallway, before looking down at Napstablook. She glances to his side, briefly considering sliding around him, before deciding that that'd be too rude. She shifts awkwardly, stepping closer. "Um, excuse me."

The ghost stops... snoring, eyes opening as it floats up from the leaves. Tears where already forming in his eyes, making Finley cringe. She then starts glowing, and she went stiff as a board as her heart pops out.

Finley swallows, before forcing a small, hesitant smile, waving. "Hey." she says. "I'm not really feeling up to fighting, so..." She shrugs, smiling widening a bit as the ghost just floats there.

Napstablook hesitantly smiles back. Tears start falling, before suddenly getting caught and floating up over her head. Finley's eyes went wide, hand falling as the tears gather in a swirling mass over her head. She quickly jumps back as they coasted downward, tripping over her feet, barely catching herself from falling to the ground, arms outstretched to catch her balance.

_Go on, keep going! Tell him a joke!_

_I don't know any jokes-- oh._ She smiles, glancing up. "I-I'm happy I lifted your spirits!"

_Wait, did you just-_

Napstablook smiles again a little wider, despite the tears still falling, laughing quietly.

Finley gathers herself up, letting her arms lower when she realizes the tears weren't gathering again. She hesitates, wondering what else she could do. She really didn't have any jokes, and she was actually really, really bad with puns. Currently the only thing coming into her head was the word _ghoul_. _What in the world goes with ghoul?_ She frowns slightly, face slowly twisting up.

She then lets out a breath of air, smiling again. "What was the ghost preparing for the potluck?"

"I don't know." Napstablook says, voice quiet. "What?"

"A pot of _ghoul_ -ash!"

_That was good!_

Napstablook's rounded eyes crinkle slightly. "Heh heh heh."

Finley grins, another one immediately coming to mind. "What did the undead chef wear to the soup kitchen?"

"I don't know. What?"

" _Ghoul-ash-es!_ "

They both laugh. Napstablook's eyes closing as he laughs, a few stray tears rolling down his face, his light laugh pleasantly filling the air. Finley couldn't help smiling at the sight. "I'm glad you liked it." She says. "I'm not that great at jokes, but I'm happy I could make you happy."

"O-oh, no, you aren't bad." Napstablook says, smile falling slightly. "You did really well."

"Well thank you." Finley says, smiling and relaxing even though her soul was still exposed. "I don't have any more, though, I don't think. Not unless you want to hear the interrupting cow one."

Napstablook frowns. "The interrupting cow one?"

Finley blinks, before nodding. "Yeah. Uh, you actually want to hear it?"

Napstablook nods.

"Oh, okay." She says. "Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Interrupting cow." She says.

Napstablook smiles. "Interrupting cow wh-"

 _"Moo!"_ she calls out, cutting him off.

"Oh!" Napstablook says, sounding shocked and... sad? "Oh, I'm -- I'm sorry."

Finley stares. "What?" She then notices he's starting to cry again, and starts to flail her hands in a somewhat comforting motion. "No, no! That's the joke, see? I'm the interrupting cow, so I interrupt your part of the joke!" She says, desperately. "That's how it's supposed to be funny -- because it's so surprising."

"...Oh." Napstablook says, tears slowing slightly. "Oh, that makes much more sense. I'm sorry."

"No, I should apologize." Finley says, clutching her hands together. "I'm so sorry -- I told you I'm bad at jokes."

"No, you're really good at jokes. I'm sorry for being such a bad audience." Napstablook says. "Oh no, I should... I should leave."

"No, no, you don't -- you don't have to leave!"

"You're really nice, and I'm just weighing you down." Napstablook says. "I should really get going." He turns away.

"No, you really don't have to--" and then he vanishes.

Finley's soul returns to her chest, and her arm fell from where it'd been reaching out for the ghost. She sighs, slumping slightly. "Damn."

_Language!_

_I didn't expect things to go_ that _badly..._ Finley bit her lip, hesitant to just leave. _Well... it's not like he's just gonna... come_ back...

_...It's okay -- you'll do better next time._

She sighs again, stepping into the pile of leaves, before continuing down the hall. There where a few more sections, but it soon became apparent that the hallway was coming to an end, with one final doorway.

Finley hesitates a moment, before going through. She figured if anything happened she could just backtrack, but... still.

She stops in the doorway, looking around the tiny room, only to find some spider webs -- _Wow that's a big ass spider._ \-- _Language!_ \-- and a large sign. A lightbulb lit over her head. _Oh! The spider bake sale! This must mean I'm going the right way!_

She glances around, eyes falling on the large spider again.

 _Um._ The voice hesitates. _I don't know how to ask this, but--_

Finley hesitantly waves. "Hi." She says, shyly. "Sorry, I don't have any money. I'm just trying to find my way around, here. I'll come back if I get any though, okay?"

The spider then waves its arm... leg? Leg. It waves its front leg at her, and Finley took that as a good sign as she smiles back, turning to leave the room. "Good luck!"

 _Oh._ The voice says, sounding hurt. _Maybe it was... was just my imagination..._

Finley hesitates a moment in the doorway, before taking the next closest doorway, off to the right. She really hopes she wouldn't get herself lost like this...

It opens up into a nice, expansive room, unlike the last one. Finley smiles, walking forward. She then immediately tenses as she spots a Froggit.

The Froggit spots her.

She stares at the Froggit.

The Froggit stares at her.

It recovers first, and Finley can see something in it's eyes go hard as it hops forward. She starts glowing, and sighs.

The flies are already forming in the air when she puts her hands up, trying to spread her finger wide despite a firm hold around the flashlight. "Hey, I don't want to fight--" She's cut off as a fly darts forward, and she has to move to the side to get out of the way. "Hey, wait a sec!"

But it doesn't listen. She curses, dodging and twisting out of the way as the flies try and zero in on her soul. She manages to miss sight of one when dodging another, and is hit full-on as it bursts into light. She hisses, arms and back going numb for a moment, legs stiff, and barely dodges another one as the feeling fades into a feeling of lethargy.

She curses, realizing the Froggit was making more flies. "Please, stop!" She tries again, backing away from the small swarm of flies. The Froggit ignores her, sending the flies after her.

Then, Finley trips. She was down on her back, a whoosh of air coming out of her lungs and flashlight falling with a clatter, before she could think to catch herself.

_Look out!_

A fly darts down, slamming into her soul, and she shouts out at the pain in her chest. She rolls to the side, partially in pain, and partially to get away from the flurry of flies now colliding with her back and side. 

Finley hisses in pain, reaching up stiffly to push herself up, rolling onto her front. Candy is spread out over the floor, and more flies collide into her back. She takes a quick gulp of air, staving of the soul-deep ache in her chest, before snagging a piece of candy and pushing herself up.

Something big collides with her back, and Finley yelps as she's sent tumbling back onto the floor. She barely catches herself with her hands and elbows, soul scraping the stone floor painfully. She looks over her shoulder to try and see what in the world is going on.

The Froggit is closer now -- much closer. It's barely a foot or two away, off to the side, producing more flies. It must have jumped her, like the other one tried to.

Finley scowls, getting up on her hands and feet, before kicking out.

The Froggit cries out as it's sent back into a wall, flies floating up aimlessly until they dissipate into the air. Finley uses the opportunity to get her feet under her, mindlessly spinning open the candy wrapper and shoving it into her mouth, appreciating how quickly it dissolves on her tongue and soothes the lethargy and ache soaking into her body and chest.

Her eyes dart around, over the scattered candy on the floor, looking for something -- and land on the flashlight. She darts over, snatching it up. It worked last time, and hopefully it'll work this time.

The Froggit has gathered itself up again too, by the looks of it, though it's looking dazed.

Finley stood at the ready.

_No, wait!_

She didn't think -- she didn't consider.

She just pulls her arm back, took aim, and threw the flashlight.

It hit, and the Froggit explodes into dust.

 

* * *

 

_The first time you killed a monster was an accident._

_You don't like thinking about it._

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Well, shit.


	9. Dust to Dust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I retuuuuurn!
> 
> Heh, yeah, well, another chapter for your viewing pleasure. I've currently decided to take a break until NaNoWriMo starts, since I'm going to be doing a chapter a day anyways. Probably dooming myself to failure somehow, but, hey -- life isn't life without a few good challenges along the way. And at the very least I should be able to catch up with my ten chapter lead I had going for a while there, even if I don't win.
> 
> But I'm definitely going to win, so. A thirty chapter lead sounds nice.
> 
> But anyways, the thanks:
> 
> Thank you AxZi for commenting again (and for the horrible, horrible pun -- horrible in a good way). Thank you Spacemen_joe for leaving kudos. Thank you Catslock and JellyB3ll for favving. Thank you BlackChaos1998 for following. And thank you Mysterious-Logged-In-Person for subscribing.

* * *

  


_At first, you don't realize -- you think it's another attack, and swing wildly. You scatter it everywhere, the cloud of dust spreading like miasma, and you retch as it fills your lungs._

_Then, as the dust clears, you look around only to see the monster has mysteriously vanished. You're confused for a moment, even reaching down to touch the powdery substance covering the walkway, but simply shrug off the occurrence and continue on your way._

  


* * *

It was like suddenly popping a balloon filled with baby powder. Thick, gray, baby powder, collapsing to the ground and exploding outward in a _whoosh_ , covering her knees and coating her skin and shoes, the flashlight clattering through the pile and turning the same ghostly gray.

Finley stares.

She totally just dusted the frog.

_You..._

That was...

That was way too easy. She stood up straight, staring down at the pile of dust. That was -- it probably just teleported out and failed to do a successful ninja smoke cloud. Yeah. It had magic -- that made sense.

_You... Oh no. No, no, no, no--_

This wasn't possible. Living, breathing things don't just _turn into dust_. There wasn't even any _blood_.

Finley tries to ignore the memory of that nightmare she'd had when she was a kid. The one where her dad fiddled with some gadget, aging her uncle forwards and backwards until her uncle just... collapsed into dust. Her dad, he'd been so run down, so confused, pushing the thing back and forth; "No, forward! No, backward! No! No.... no.... no..." It was like he didn't comprehend what he was doing.

 _She_ didn't comprehend what she was doing.

She stands there, awkwardly, staring at the pile of dust. That was... that was, for all intents and purposes, a dead body. The equivalent to someone's ashes. She glanced down at her legs, at the powder still clinging to them, and shudders.

She reaches down and wipes the powder from her shins, cringing as she feels the grit coating her hand. She suddenly felt overwhelmingly dirty.

 _Good._ She thought. _You deserve to feel that way._

She hesitantly reaches down and prods at the flashlight. She flinches away as she disturbs the powdery residue, before crouching down to scoop it up.

She hesitates, staring down at the remains. What are you supposed to do, when faced with the dead? When _you_ caused it? Paying respects... seems cheep, here. She frowns. But, then, what else is there to do?

"I'm sorry." She whispers.

Then, she just... slowly walks away.

Most of the next puzzle is worked through in a daze. She quickly found the hidden door in the room with the cracked floors, pulling the lever to lower the spikes down on the lower floor.

She continues on, reading a sign about the rooms being a shift in perspective and immediately remembering the game, until she got a call from Toriel.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Toriel. I just realized that it has been a while since I have cleaned up." She said. "I was not expecting to have company so soon. There are probably a lot of things lying about here and there."

Finley bit her lip. _I think we've got bigger things to worry about than that._ She wanted to say it.

She didn't.

"You can pick them up, but do not carry more than you need." She said, voice suddenly turning a tad serious. "Someday, you might see something you really like. You will want to leave room in your pockets for that."

Finley just... shifts awkwardly. All the candy in her pockets crinkles as it shifts. She fiddles with the flashlight, and felt the grit of dust coating her fingers. Finley's smile strains on her face. "T-that's... really good advice, Toriel."

"It's just a thought. I'll see you soon." Click.

Finley just... stays there, phone held up to her head. She listens to the sound of the call disconnecting, and stays there. Silent.

...How do you tell someone that you've killed something?

Someone?

Someone like _them?_

She closes her eyes, sighing. _I guess... you just don't._

The phone fell away, as she hit the end call button, shoving it back into her pocket. She hated the crinkling sound it made -- right now she'd give anything to get rid of this candy, for all the good it _might_ do her, because all she can see are scattered pieces of it covered in dust so fine it might have been powdered sugar.

And it makes her _sick_ to think that.

But it would make her _more_ guilty to just waste the damn candy, and she's... a little sick to her stomach already with guilt.

Finley leans her head back, taking a moment to absorb herself in the silence of the room. She feels herself relax. But, like a dam built to rely on it's own tension, she feels something well up with the next shaky breath, the overwarm feeling of tears gathering in her eyes.

_Hey._

Finley closes her eyes tight, and literally has to stop herself from doing _anything_.

_I know a lot of stuff happened, between then and now, but I thought for a second there, when you where fighting Napstablook, that maybe..._

Finley pinches the bridge of her nose.

_Can you... can you hear me?_

She pinches it so hard that her nails bite into the flesh, a zing of pain going through her head from the action.

_Please, if you can hear me, say something._

She could feel the pressure rising in her head, as her teeth clenched.

_Please, just say anything! Anything!_

Finley hisses out a breath.

_I just... I just don't want to be alo--_

"Will you _shut up_ already?" She bit out poisonously.

_W-what?_

"You heard me, you little piece of shit." She said. "Can't you take a hint? Shut. The. _Fuck_. Up."

 _You-- you_ can _hear me!_

"Well _Duh!_ " She yells. Then, she suddenly cringes, shifting on her feet. "It's not like you where being quiet."

 _W-well, it's not like you where saying anything!_ The voice said, sounding flustered. _How was I supposed to know?_

Finley just scowls, not dignifying that with a response as she walks forward towards the switch. If she remembers right, it should be right behind this pillar...

_Hey! Don't ignore me!_

Finley's eye's narrow, and she threw the switch with more force than necessary, before turning towards the now lowered spikes. _I'll ignore you all I fucking want to._

_Language!_

"Eat shit." She mutters under her breath, leaving the room.

* * *

  


_Dust._

_It coated your shirt, your shoes, your legs, your arms._

_The stick you hold. The air you breathe._

_You don't know what Toriel thought, that first time you approached her covered in dust, all smiles and warm greetings._

_But you -- you didn't think anything of it at all._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Yep, so that's a thing. _Has been_ a thing. You can even go back and check, if you like.
> 
> Sorry this one is so short -- that just felt like the best place to end things, and I didn't feel like distracting from the events by detailing puzzles. Hopefully that's good enough.


	10. The Dagger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I'm back. A bit later than usual in the day, but I'm back.
> 
> This week was pretty interesting. Went out for an interview. Got dunked on the day after said interview. Joined a writing forum -- mostly going well there. Got an awesome bit of insight into my original fic. Working. Getting ready for NaNoWriMo in general.
> 
> ...eh. It all sounds really boring, when I put it like that. Oh well.
> 
> Anyways, thank you AxZi, for your comments. Thank you AngelEnnatar for following. And thank you guest for leaving Kudos.

* * *

  


_The house was quaint, and looked small -- at least from the outside. Nice and cozy, as your Mom would put it._

_The thought hit you like a bolt, reminding you of home. For a moment you yearned to go back._  


  


* * *

"Look, I don't want to fight." She says tiredly, not even flinching as its attacks float closer.

"Please don't pick on me." The monster says back, voice sounding shy.

"Pick on you?" Finley says in surprise, mostly that the monster even talked. "Why would I pick on you?"

The monster just sighs in relief, seemingly relaxing. "Finally, someone gets it."

The fight stops soon after that, for which she was thankful. If Finley wanted anything at the moment, it was to not see any more fighting.

She was still in the perspective puzzle room -- or rooms, she should say. It was a bit like in the game, where signs in different rooms ask you to pull levers you had to remember the locations of, based on where they where in the last room, but more challenging. The correct lever, while clearly visible from the perspective standing in front of the sign in the last room, where hidden behind pillars when standing in the new room in front of the next plaque. And there where a lot more than three switches scattered around -- there had to be dozens on dozens -- and Finley had the sneaking suspicion that some of them change from room to room.

She would say it was interesting, a good challenge, if she could bring herself to focus on it. Usually she'd put effort into remembering where each of the switches where, but right now hear heart wasn't in it.

And besides that, all the while, a voice incessantly chatters in her head.

_So you're not actually a kid, right?_

Finley sighs, pushing down the switch halfheartedly before continuing on the to the next room. She put everything she had into ignoring it, hoping to quell the storm of chatter.

There was no such luck. _You really where upset when you woke up like this. I mean, I didn't notice anything at first, but..._ They finish, uncertainly. _The next switch is behind that pillar, by the way._

Finley's steps falter, and she felt irrationally irritated at the sudden 'assistance', before giving in and checking behind the pillar. She blinks at finding the blue switch, before mindlessly pulling it.

_...Do you think it has to do with how you ended up down here? You said you didn't know how that happened, either._

Finley blinks as she walks towards the lowered spikes, spotting a hallway on the other side. A familiar hallway. She took a few tentative steps, spotting a cross-shaped pile of leaves. _I must be near Toriel's house._

_Yep! Her house is just to the left. She probably already started the pie -- you might just catch her before she leaves the house._

Finley frowns, glancing to the left, before looking down to the end of the hallway.

_The hallway leads to the rest of the Ruins, eventually. There's a nice view that way, but I wouldn't go there -- it's too easy to get lost while exploring, and you don't want Miss Toriel to worry._

Finley had hazy memories of the similar details, in the game. It was just a short walk to get the toy knife and a view of the Ruins in the game, but who knows how long it'd take in real life, if the rest of the Ruins was any indication? The voice was right -- probably way too long.

But, more importantly, Finley didn't want to listen.

She took a step forward, continuing straight.

_Um, what are you doing? Don't you want to go see Miss Toriel?_

She steps around the pile of leaves, continuing on the path easily.

_Hey, where are you going?_

Finley just kept going. The voice audibly (subaudibly? mentally?) sighs.

The hallway continued on straight, without doorway or turn. Finley had to wonder how big this place really was, to contain so many different hallways, before dismissing the thought. Finally it came to a doorway and, feeling adventurous, she peeks though.

Finley blinks, before stepping out to get a better look. From what looks like a rooftop terrace, expanding out all around her, was a dark expanse of what looks to be an old city. She steps out of the doorway, onto the terrace.

She'd never seen a city so... dead, before. Nothing moves. No wind, no wildlife, no trees or wandering crowds or traffic or... anything. Just stillness filling each cross street and building. She could almost pretend it was nighttime, but for the stillness and the old, musty air.

As she walks towards the edge of the terrace, her feet kick something. Finley blinks, looking down. There covered in ages on ages of dirt and grime, was a knife -- a plastic dagger, or tiny sword. She reaches down, picking it up and wiping it off. placing her flashlight on the edge of the terrace wall as she did.

It was definitely a toy. One solid piece of plastic, with the handle simply painted a different color, the blade was dull and blunt. The very idea of using it in anything other than a pretend fight was stupid. _but then again,_ Finley snorts derisively, you _managed to kill a monster with a plastic flashlight._

It was only then that she notices that the voice had gone strangely silent. She raises an eyebrow, before mentally shrugging her shoulders. Whatever. A moment of peace was a moment of peace. She drops the toy knife back onto the ground, picking up the flashlight.

She turns to the side, taking note of what looks like a gap in the wall around the terrace, and approaches. Looking down, she quickly spots a ladder, leading down towards the street. She considers going farther into the ruins of the city, but decided against it -- in all likelihood she really _would_ get lost, if she tries doing that.

She went back the way she came, down the hallway towards the pile of leaves. Taking the turn she neglected last time, she immediately spots a bare tree.

_Whenever it gets leaves, they just fall off. No one knows what's wrong with it._

_Fascinating._ She thought flatly, glancing past the tree towards the house. It was... nice. Quaint. Homely. She'd think it was just a regular old house it it wasn't smack dab in the middle of the Ruins. Though, she quickly corrects herself on walking closer -- if it wasn't in the Ruins _and_ it wasn't so oddly out of proportion. What human would need a front door that big?

_Yeah, it is kinda big, isn't it?_

Finley sighs, hesitating a moment in front of the door, before reaching up to knock. She barely got the first rap out before the door was quickly yanked open. She flinches back, before blinking up into the surprised face of Toriel.

Toriel looks at her, eyes wide, before seemingly collecting herself. "How did you get here, my child?" She asks urgently. "Are you hurt?" She quickly looks her over, taking in mussed hair and skinned knees, frowning in concern. "Oh, there there, small one-" her arms came down on Finley's shoulders, clutching at them firmly, "-I will heal you."

Suddenly, Finley is surrounded in a bright, aqua glow, which radiates out from all over and around her body in a warm tingle, pulsating soothingly across her skin. It sank into her skin, the tingle turning into something of an itch across her torso and scattered over her body. The light then fades in brilliance, falling away from her body like a shroud as Toriel removes her hands.

Toriel sighs as Finley blinks, too shocked to articulate properly what had just happened. Finley looks back up as the woman spoke. "I should not have left you alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like this." Toriel stalls for a moment, catching herself. "Err..." She shook her head. "Well, I suppose I cannot hide it any longer." Toriel pushes the door wider, motioning inward. "Come in, small one!"

Finley quickly steps after her into the house. "Do you smell that?" Toriel asks. "Surprise! It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie. I thought we might celebrate your arrival." She says, looking down at her dotingly, smiling. It made Finley feel embarrassed. "I want you to have a nice time living here. So I will hold off on snail pie for tonight."

"Thank you." Finley says, fidgeting slightly, trying to convey her ernestness.

"Your welcome." She says, smiling. "Here, I have another surprise for you."

She takes Finely's hand, leading her down the hallway to the right, but Finley is preoccupied with something else. Because suddenly, she's turns her head and it's there -- the awkwardly placed set of stairs leading out of the Ruins. But she barely has time to glance them over before being steered down the hallway towards the rooms.

"This is it..." Toriel says, stopping in front of the first door. "A room of your own. I hope you like it!"

Finley takes a moment to glance the door over. It's plain wood reveals nothing to her, though, even knowing what's behind it. Something touches the top of her head and she flinches slightly _Wha- Oh._ She remembers this part, now. She fought down any further reaction, feeling awkward as Toriel strokes her hair. She was relieved when the hand finally pulls away. "Is something burning...?" Toriel is already rushing down the hallway before she catches herself. "Um, make yourself at home!" Finley turns watching Toriel as she rushes down the hallway, before turning to the room. 

* * *

  


_It was off, walking around a house that wasn't your own, and being treated as more than a guest. Your brain tried to process the words as they tumbled out of Toriel's mouth -- "I want you to have a nice time living here."_

_When the hand touched your head, familiar but so, so alien, the wrong person in the wrong place, you knew you'd have to break Ms. Toriel's heart to leave._

_...And that's what you did._

_You had to._

_You Promised._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Yep. Not much to say, this time around. See you next week?


	11. It's You!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hey again!
> 
> So, still getting ready for NaNoWriMo. Planning is going well, especially now that I'm not aiming at a moving target. Also wrote a short story yesterday, which was neat because I _never_ do that. With some editing, it might actually be good, too.
> 
> But anyways, onward with the thanks:
> 
> Thank you 89ingenting and Disney Syndulla for favving. Thank you Crystal Shapeshifter and Clovsiri for following. And thank you guest for leaving kudos.

* * *

  


_The room is nice and cozy. Just the right size for a kid, and filled with a lot more than just a standard guest room would be._

_You spot a chest at the foot of the bed, and peek inside, before gasping. This is amazing -- look at all these toys!_

_But, as you look them over, you feel your smile fall. That's right -- you weren't staying. You didn't have time to play with these toys. You were just going to take a nap, and then leave._

_You close the trunk without preamble._

  


* * *

It was exactly like in the game. A bed, a wardrobe, a dusty picture frame resting on the bookshelf, a box of abandoned kid's shoes set off to the side. Finley flicks the light on and off, imagining the background music changing with the lighting. She smiles in amusement.

_Background music...?_

Her smile fell. She settles on leaving the light off, turning to leave the room.

_You aren't going to sleep? Aren't you tired?_

_With you chattering in my head?_ She replies. _How could I manage?_

_I can be quiet!_

_Right. _She rolls her eyes. Finley closes the door behind her as she left, turning the knob so that the door clicks shut silently. She glances around the hallway, spotting a few doors. If she was lucky she'd be able to find the bathroom in this place and maybe wash her hands or something. The idea of eating food with the grit of monster dust on her hands wasn't that appealing, after all.__

Not that being so callous as to just wash it off was any better, but one had to pick their battles.

She glances in the first door on the left, finding Toriel's room. Finley sighs, closing the door behind her. The next one is under construction, and she _really_ hopes that isn't it. She spots another door down the hallway to the right, and starts heading towards it, but she stalls out in front of the mirror, footsteps petering out. She turns to look at her... her new face.

She looks into the mirror, looking herself over. Short wavy platinum hair hung an inch or so above her shoulders, tucked behind her ears. It was lighter than she was used to. Light eyebrows hung over green eyes, which looks odd -- they where light enough that it almost looks like she doesn't _have_ any eyebrows. Her cheeks where big and rosey, showing up starkly on pale skin. Her eyes trail over, taking it all in, noticing she still had that light brown spot on her cheek and that scar on her lip, but missing that pock mark on her forehead. She turns her head this way and that, looking at her profile, looking over her nose. She exposes her teeth, taking in her two large front teeth and a few slightly snaggle-toothed ones to the sides, before closing her mouth, satisfied.

It was her, but it wasn't her. All the pieces fit, they where just... a few years out of date. She looks like the person in her preschool pictures.

Despite all... all _this_ , it was still her.

Finley sighs in relief.

 _Well that's good news!_ The voice in her head literally crows.

 _Yeah._ Finley smiles slightly, before shaking her head, frowning, relief turning sour in her chest. Just because it wasn't as bad as she thought didn't mean it wasn't bad.

She sighs, turning away from the mirror to open the last door, smiling as she found the bathroom, fully stocked with a sink and a tub. For a second she wonders where the toilet was, but then she remembers -- monster food didn't really... do that. It would make less sense if there _was_ one, honestly.

She quickly and meticulously washes her hands, humming to herself and having to stand on her tip-toes to reach up properly, before taking another look at the tub. She considers it a moment. She glances down at her legs. They didn't look too bad, honestly, but she could still feel grit covering them, and she... kinda didn't want monster dust on her _anywhere_ , really. And Toriel _did_ tell her to make herself feel at home...

She glances around the room, looking for a towel, before spotting a rack off to the side, near the tub. It had a few folded towels on the lower shelves. Finley smiles. _Convenient_. She went over and grabs one before placing it on the edge of the sink.

She then promptly let herself get distracted. She could feel it -- a song was stuck in her head. Not that she was in the mood to mind, really -- actually, she just wishes she had her iPod with her so she could listen to it properly. She hums a few random notes, before starting at the beginning. "Do do, do do, do do do do dooo do." She sang, before pausing for a moment to kick off her shoes. "...Do do, do do, do do do do dooo do." She peels off her socks, cringing at the dust clinging to the material, before continuing, standing up. "Dooo dooo, do do do do do do, do do dooo--

She kept going, up into a complicated crescendo without any lyrics, mostly staying in place, letting herself get out of breath as she strains and cracks on the last note. She then starts bobbing her head from side to side, letting her body sway, trying to keep in time with the beat as she went though the beginning in her head. It wasn't the type of music you listen to for the lyrics, or that you really sang along to, either, but Finley didn't care. She just tries to remember how the music went.

She opens her mouth to sing along, when the lyrics would start. "Come on down to the other side, come with us through the gates of hell. We will drag you from where you aaare, to where yooou belooong." She sang, voice high pitched but clear. "Come on down to the other side, come with us through the gates of hell -- we will drag you from where you aaare, to where yooou belooong."

"There's nothing, to fear." She said, voice flat and as smooth as her childish little voice could go. "Your Saviors -- they're here." She turns on the water, letting it fill up the tub. "The ship is coming down. The ship is coming down. The ship is coming _down_ , coming _down_ , coming _down_."

She tilts her head to the side. "You? You are so precious." She reaches down to put the plug in the drain. "A diamond in the rough. And when you tryin' to escape, I'll be holding on -- holding _on_ , holding _on_ , holding _on_."

"But I caaan't sleep until this is dooo-ooo-ooone." She belts out, tiny voice loud and ringing in the confined space of the bathroom as she steps back from the huge tub. "They're in my heeead, they're in my _soooooooul~_."

"Come on down to the other side," She quickly unbuckles her overalls, stripping them off without preamble, grunting out the next line of the song, "come with us through the gates of hell." The next part was muffled by her sweater as she strips that off, too. "We will drag you from where you aaare, to where yooou belooong."

Lastly, she strips off her underwear, before jumping in the tub. "Come on down to the other side, come with us through the gates of hell." she sways her hips, standing in place, waiting for the bath to fill. "We will drag you from where you aaare..." she reaches out, adjusting the temperature on the dials, "to where _yooou belooong~._ "

"We, are in your spirit." She continues, voice chirping instead of going flat, before catching herself. "We're everywhere you turn:" her head bobs with the rhythm of the words as she steps back, "from the-cover-to-the-cover, the-cover-to-the-cover." She held a hand, counting off. "In your lover, your brother, to your mother-" She hisses, making a fist, "- _the Others_."

"You, you are so _precious._ " She said, monotone. "But now you've gone away." She pauses, loosing her grasp on the song, face twisting up as she looks down, before continuing. "And I am fall-ing apart, un-der the waves, the _waves_ , the _waves_ , the _w-waves_..."

She goes silent. She stares down, below the faucet, rushing water making the water ripple in great tumultuous waves as it fills the tub, catching the overhead light and shining it in her eyes, and suddenly she's sick. She steps forward quickly and, reaches out with shaky hands, turns off the water. She stands there, as the water goes still, lapping the sides of the half-full tub. She shakily sits down, trying not to disturb the water more than necessary.

_Dark waters crashing against rock, only lit by the blinding glow of her headlights as the car crashes_ **down...**

And suddenly, there's tears in her eyes. Finley closes them. Her back is tense, and the only part of her that's warm is her legs -- the only part of her really actually under the water. She kinda regrets not filling the tub completely, but kinda doesn't want to face up to what the water was doing to her head more.

Then, she starts laughing, quietly, just under her breath. _Figures._ She thinks. _Figures I'd get trauma from that..._

_Are you okay?_

Finley snorts. It rolls on into the laugh, bubbling up in it, and she snorts again and not long after it is full blown laughter. Her head thuds against the back of the tub as she leans back, clutching her sides hard as she just _roars_ with laughter. She's breathing hard, her sides hurt, tears are rolling down her face, and she's choking on it.

And choking.

And choking.

And she sputters over her own breath, and it sounds oddly like a sob.

Finley closes her eyes and swallows, going quiet. She hiccups once before catching herself, tears rolling down her face. She pushes her face into her wet hands, splashing the water as she moves. The bathroom is oddly silent but for her harsh breathing and the lapping of the bath.

 _No one will ever find you._ She thinks, shaking. _You think Mount Ebott is a real place? It's fucking 'Toby' backwards! You think if it had a real counterpart that people wouldn't be all over that shit? The entire Fandom would be beside themselves, wanting to hike the thing. There'd be pictures. Maps. Links to it's goddamned fucking Wikipedia page as it gets vandalized over and over. There's no legend of Monsters. There's no Barrier. There's no souls, or magic, or_ anything. _No one will ever..._

It comes upon her like a revelation.

"No one will ever _find me_." She says, laughing. "Never! Never ever! Not in a million years! They'll never f-find me again!" She's smiling, and she's sobbing, and she's _laughing_ , and the relief is so palpable that you could reach out and pinch it between your fingers. "Thank God! Thank _God!_ "

No more oddly worded conversations. No more random, constructed encounters designed to make her doubt her sanity. No more bumping into random strangers and _knowing_ they where involved. No more catching a person out of the corner of her eye and wondering. No more being followed. No more hacking her shit. No more coded messages in the night. No more people talking behind her back.

No more _spying_. No more _head games._ No more _"coincidences"_. No more _lies_.

No more feeling _trapped_. No more feeling _alone._ No more utter, complete _despair_.

Finley just _laughes_ , tears rolling down her face.

_W-whatever is going on, you're going to be okay, alright?_

Finley cut off her laugh, choking on her breath. She closes her eyes, breathing in shakily through her mouth. She bit her lip, feeling it tremble between her teeth. She thought _they_ had been the ones who where...

But, they hadn't.

Instead, they had known, and they hadn't _stopped_.

She lifts her head and drops it down against the edge of the tub with a 'thud', letting out a sob. _They did this to me._ She thought. _They pushed, and they pushed, and they_ pushed _, until I really did break._ She lifts her head up further, slamming her head down as hard as she could. _"Fuck!"_ She chokes out, sobbing.

_Please stop -- you're scaring me._

She smiles, and it breaks around the edges self-depreciatingly. _I guess the voices in your head where real all along._

* * *

  


_You lie down in the unfamiliar bed, ready to sleep. For now though, your eyes are wide open, as you stare into the dark room, waiting._

_Your mom used to come in and sing to you, before she got sick and had to go away._

_The memory makes your heart ache._

_You hum to yourself, hoping to lull yourself to sleep._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Sorry for having Finley break out into song. Although, I guess the real question is, if I was really sorry, would I have left it in there...?
> 
> Well, anyways, if you're curious, the song is called The Other Side, by Pendulum. It's worth a listen.


	12. Pie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Here we go.
> 
> Week was boring. Still waiting for it to be next month, so that I can just overload this story with words. That's... about it.
> 
> Well, anyways, let's get on with it.
> 
> Thank you guest for leaving kudos. Thank you Epyon111 for favving. Thank you Epyon111 for following. And thank you ShadowPillow for leaving a review!

* * *

  


_You wake up from your nap, a delicious smell tickling your nose, reminding you of autumn._

_You almost step on the pie, when moving to turn on the light. The fork clinks against the plate as it tips under your foot, before you stumble back._

_You pause, confused, hesitantly shifting on your feet, before crouching down in the dark. You poke and prod, in the dark, against the floor. Your finger eventually prods at something sticky and warm. You draw your finger back, hesitantly sniffing it, only to be assaulted by the smell of butterscotch and cinnamon. You then, hesitantly, put your finger in your mouth._

  


* * *

Finley tucks a strand of wet hair behind her ear, wishing she had a hair tie. She was back in her clothes, sitting on the bed in what would presumably be her room, if she ever chose to stay.

She wouldn't.

Mostly because, well, nothing against Goat-Mom, but she wasn't a kid, and she wasn't up to pretending to be one. And it was pretty obvious, if how Toriel had acted was any indication, that's... ultimately what would happen, here. Toriel looked at her and saw a kid, and there was no way that she could be told to back the hell off.

...And that sounded harsh even in her _own_ head. Finley sighs, staring off up at where the opposite wall met the ceiling, absently stretching out her legs and crossing her ankles in the air since they couldn't touch the floor.

The truth was, if there _was_ a way to convince Toriel to treat her like someone who wasn't five, she probably wouldn't have the guts to actually stick up for herself and try it. Toriel would see a little kid, and treat her like one, and she'd likely be enough of a silent pushover to not disagree. Besides, it's not like anything else would be believed, anyways.

And she really didn't _like_ the idea of being trapped down here, no matter how nice it was. What would she even do, while she was here? Read? She doubts there'd be anything she'd be interested in, and even if there was, what happened when she was done reading and finally got bored? She really doubts she'd even be able to leave the house safely, with monsters lingering around.

...But all of that just left leaving the Ruins.

And she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

Finley put her head in her hands, rubbing at her face.

_Are you feeling better, now?_

Finley stops, hand resting on her face for a moment, before slowly lowering. She didn't say anything. She wasn't _going_ to say anything.

_...You keep on ignoring me. I don't really like it._

_Tough._ She gave the wall across from her a narrow-eyed look, hands starting to fist.

 _Why do you keep doing that?_ It finally asks. _Why is it that whenever you talk to me, you sound so... so... mean?_

Finley didn't respond, huffing and laying back in the bed, letting her legs hang loose off the edge. What stupid bullshit, letting a voice in her head try and drag her down and make her feel guilty for treating it badly. _Like I haven't been through_ that _shit already..._

 _You've had people stuck in your head before?_ The voice said, sounding surprised. _That's really weird._

"Screw you."

_Language!_

"Oh, excuse me." She said, pulling a hand up and dramatically resting it against her chest. She pretended to bat her eyelashes. "What I really meant was _fuck you_ , you little cunt."

The voice gasps. _That's a_ really _bad word!_

Finley just smiles. "I _know._ "

 _Then why did you_ say it!?!

"Because you fucking _hate_ it."

_Stop!_

"Then _stop talking._ "

 _But- I- You-_ The voice made an inarticulate sound of rage. _Fine._

It was pouting, Finley could tell that much. She rolls her eyes. Well, whatever.

She rolls over onto her front, grunting as she pushes and turns herself to rest properly on the bed, until she was on her stomach staring off to the far corner of the room.

It was kinda weird, that this room didn't have a second bed, at least when you think about it. You'd think there would be, if Asriel had found Chara in the Ruins like the stories had indicated. They must have moved not long after Chara fell, for there to still only be one bed in here. _Though, I guess there_ is _always the possibility that Toriel just got rid of the other one... Though I wonder if she'd really bring herself to do that._

She pauses, half expecting the voice to respond with something nonsensical about the situation here (it was a part of her -- what did it really know about what was going on here?), only to be met with silence. Finley raises an eyebrow, confused. Why wasn't it talking?

_I thought you didn't want me to talk?_

_I don't._

It huffs, before going silent.

Finley's eyebrows raise. It had actually listened, when she'd tried to threaten it?

...She actually didn't expect that to work. It generally didn't just _go away_ like that.

She blinks, resting her cheek against the bed. Huh.

...Well, okay then. What was she thinking about? Oh, the beds -- Chara must not have shared this room with Asriel, when they where growing up together. She wonders what they did while they where staying here, though -- did they bunk together, or make pillow forts on the floor? Or blanket nests? Or maybe just hang out in some sleeping bags? Did they fight over the bed? Did the oldest get sleeping rights, or the youngest? She kinda wonders which was which. Was Asriel the baby of the family as well as a cry baby, or was he the _older_ brother?

_Just like Will-_

Finley breathed in sharply, feeling her heart clench in pain. Oh. Right. He was-She closed her eyes, pushing off the thoughts and painful reminders suddenly surfacing. Too much shit right now -- she didn't want to deal with this right now. She'd done enough crying, today. Maybe he deserved being mourned, but she didn't deserve to be the one weighed down by it constantly.

Well... that had been a hopelessly inane thought, anyways. Moving on -- and moving out.

She suddenly rolls off the bed, expecting to land on her feet but stumbling and about halfway twisting her ankle instead on her journey straight down to the floor. She grunts in pain, rolling off of her folded legs and rubbing her foot, before pushing herself to her feet. _Well, shit all is going to get done sitting around in here._

_Language!_

Finley just rolls her eyes.

There was a quick glance at the basement stairs on her way to the living room, but that was quickly dismissed with the excuse of pie. She entered the next room with a quick look around, taking in the table for dining and the fireplace blazing, along with the Goat-Mom perusing a well-loved old book. It was homely, and toasty, and Finley had to quickly dismiss the urge to curl up near the fire with a blanket.

Toriel looks up as she enters. "Done already, I see?" She says, closing her book. "Well, you should be heading off to bed soon, but not before you have your piece of pie. It should have cooled down enough by now, I think." She sat up from her chair, placing the closed book down in the seat, before turning to head towards where Finley knew the kitchen was.

Toriel was already cutting the pie with a pie server when she walks in, meticulously cutting it into sections, before carefully lifting out and plating a slice of the Butterscotch-cinnamon pie. "Here you are." She says, handing Finley the slice of pie with a smile.

"Thanks." Finley says, taking the plate. She notices that Toriel didn't take a slice of pie for herself, but chose not to comment, instead heading back out of the kitchen.

Finley walks past the lone sitting chair in the living room, stopping and debating a moment with herself as she saw the fire in the hearth, before heading over to the table instead. Toriel probably wouldn't approve of her eating while sitting on the floor, no matter how much she liked the fire.

To her surprise, next to her, Toriel also pulls out a chair. She was holding the book she'd had earlier, placing it on the table as she sat down. The woman caught her staring, and Finley quickly had to gather her wits to not be embarrassing, instead quickly pulling out the chair -- which also proves quickly futile as the chair scrapes noisily across the floor in her lone hand, as she was still holding the plate with the other.

Finley glances up at Toriel, who was hiding a smile. Finley ducks her head back down, causing the woman to quietly laugh. Finley felt her face go red, as she defeatedly places the pie on the table before using both of her hands to move the chair far enough to actually sit in it.

After situating herself, Finley glances back at Toriel again, still not quite sure why the woman was there. Toriel herself was idly thumbing through the pages slowly, but her eyes were distant and uncomprehending. It looks like she didn't know what she was doing, either.

"Um." Toriel finally said, fingers worrying the pages as she glances up at Finley. "I want you to know how glad I am to have someone here." And suddenly, Finley was feeling guilty as hell. "There are so many old books I want to share. I also want to show you my favorite bug-hunting spot."

"I've also prepared a curriculum for your education." She says, smiling. "This may come as a surprise to you, but I have always wanted to be a teacher." She pauses, glancing down at the book a moment, frowning. "...Actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising."

" _Still_." She says, firmly. "I am glad to have you living here."

Finley shifts under her gaze, acutely aware of the silence as it stretched for far too long. "...You're..." She almost choked on the words. "You're welcome."

Toriel's smile went wider, crinkled eyes glittering, and Finley felt her insides just shrivel up at the revolting feeling in her stomach.

* * *

  


_The taste explodes across your senses. The smell suddenly connects in your brain. You mom used to make apple pies, filled with cinnamon and covered up with buttery crust, every time the apples went ripe when the leaves turned. It was why, when Toriel had called you, you had tearfully told her that you preferred cinnamon._

_Now, the taste... it..._

_You didn't bother eating the pie -- you simply turn to where the light crept in from under the bedroom door and made your way out, wiping your eyes. You had questions that needed answers._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Yep, this chapter was all about pie. Pie, pie, pie.
> 
> ...I suddenly really want apple pie.


	13. Snails

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Okay, a bit late in the day, but whatever. Still got done.
> 
> Anyways, NaNoWriMo is next week, so this story is going to get a huge jump start. Which is good, because I'm _preeeety sure_ there's only two or three chapters of buffer left.
> 
> Now we'll have about thirty, in the span of a month. That's more than half a year!  
> We'll be set for life!
> 
> Ah, anyways, let's get onto the thanks:
> 
> Thank you 0Lazuli0 and AxZi for leaving comments. Thank you Epyon111 for reviewing. Thank you S.R.457 for favving and following. Thank you BloodiedLady for following. Thank you 0Lazuli0 and Jenna_Dreemurr for leaving kudos. And thank you Mysterious-Logged-in-Person for Bookmarking.

* * *

  


_The next day, you asked her how to leave the Ruins._

_She stared at you in shock, too surprised to even speak. Then, she closed the book she was holding, stood up, and placed the tome down on her chair. "I... I have to do something." She said shortly. "Stay here."_

_She briskly walked past, leaving the living room._

_You followed behind her, and where just in time to see her go down those strange stairs near the front door._

  


* * *

 

She laid down in the bed that night and slept, too guilty to ask what was on her mind. Thankfully (and very _very_ surprisingly), the voice had done as promised and not disturbed her while she'd tried to sleep.

Not that that meant she'd slept very well. She'd spent a long time tossing and turning, seemingly despite her body's exhaustion from wandering around for a good part of the day. It left her feeling sore and achey, even on waking up, and despite the eventual night's sleep, she was still feeling a bit body-weary.

Finley stretches, letting her overtaxed muscles ache and complain with the motion. She flexes her hands, before pressing her fingers into her wrist, feeling out the tender area. She glances down. There was only the slightest of visible bruises -- faint enough that you could barely even tell anything had happened there.

Actually, she was kinda surprised anything _was_ there, between the monster candy doing its thing and Toriel healing her. Maybe it only heals soul attacks...? Eh, she might as well try asking. It would at least be nice, having something to talk about with the woman when she eventually fumbles her way through her inevitable departure. God knows that was going to go smooth as butter...

Finley sighs, brushing her hands through her hair as she slips from the bed and out of the room. Anyways, today was the day -- one way or another, she was going to do it. She was going to ask Toriel how to leave and... and try her damnedest not to freak the hell out while trying hard not to fight her. Yeah. Hopefully, it would all work out without her having to walk through the Ruins again, 'cuz God knows she didn't know how to SAVE.

She quickly walks down the hall, and had to stop herself from lingering near the stairs. It was really, _really_ tempting to just hightail it out of there, as it was. But she pushes herself through it and continues on to the living room.

She walks in on Toriel setting the table, two plates set out next to each other. "Ah," she stood straight with a smile, "Good morning, little one. I was just about to wake you. Come -- breakfast is ready." She pulls out the chair as Finley hesitantly approaches, taking a moment to just smile and dote on the girl as she awkwardly crawls up into the chair, brushing a furred hand through her bed-head, before pushing the chair in. Finley cringes, hoping the woman didn't catch sight of her discomfort. That would just make things awkward as hell... not that they weren't already, at least for her.

She hesitantly looks up, glancing through her bangs at the woman as she rounds the table towards her own seat. She admits to herself that she had no idea how exactly to go about starting this conversation -- in the game it had always been so blunt, and Finley didn't... didn't want to do that to the woman, no matter how uncomfortable she made her.

But then, how did one gracefully segue into asking someone how to go off and get themselves killed? And, maybe it wasn't permanent, but who'd tell Toriel that?

Finley fiddles with the tablecloth as Toriel sat down, not able to bring herself to look at her properly. She saw the woman looking at her out of the corner of her eye and, nervously, she darted her eyes up to meet her face. Toriel smiles at her. Hesitantly, she smiles back, before turning to look down at her plate.

It looks like just some eggs and some toast, but the bread -- the bread was specially made. It had a swirl of cinnamon in in, and what looks like raisins. Finley reaches for her fork, gently using it to cut into the bread, which fell apart in moist crumbles. It looked good -- Toriel must have made it herself.

"Well, today is going to be a long, exciting day. Eat up, little one." She said. She sounds happy.

It made Finley feel horrible, for what she was planning. "Y-yeah." She said, picking up her knife, glancing up. "Thank you."

Toriel's smile widens. "Your welcome, little one."

Finley looks away, down to her plate, and took a bite of the toast. It crumbles on her tongue, buttery and moist, and it immediately had her craving more.

The breakfast was simple, but well prepared -- Finley didn't know what Toriel did to the eggs, but they where _good_ and the second she was through the bread she immediately wants seconds. It admittedly passes with awkward conversation -- questions about what she'll do today, and what she wants to do for her first day of lessons, and if she wants to go to the bug hunting spot today or tomorrow -- but Finley just tries to awkwardly deflect whatever questions come her way, letting Toriel instead fill the silence.

"Are you finished, young one?" Toriel asks, picking up her plate. "I'll clean your plate for you. I fear you're too short to reach the sink on your own."

Finley hesitates, question once more on the edge of her tongue, before sighing. "Yeah, I'm done."

In fact, most of the day went like that. Hours spent in the house together droned on in the quiet, interrupted only occasionally by what passed for conversation, with only one person really talking. Finley was both bored and panicky, hoping for something to distract her from her thoughts, but not finding much success. She wasn't sure if Toriel noticed, but the woman definitely kept a careful eye on her all the same.

Toriel looks up from where she sat reading in her chair, glancing down towards the floor by the fire. "Well, little one, would you like to start your lessons early, or are you alright reading?"

Finley looks up from the book she was reading, fiddling with the pages as she looks at the woman. She'd picked out a history book, when it became clear she wasn't going to immediately drop the bomb the second breakfast was over. She'd barely been able to read it, even after an hour. It wasn't exactly a _boring_ book, or too dense, but every time she tries to distract herself, she found her thoughts constantly circling back to what she had to do. And it just... wasn't that great a thought.

But, then, who looks forward to fighting someone who threw fire?

_You know, she doesn't want to hurt you. If you just keep talking to her, and showing her you won't hurt her, she'll understand -- even if she doesn't want to._

_Yeah._ Finley thought. _But that doesn't stop it from being scary._

"...My child?"

Finley starts, shaking her head, before looking back at Toriel. She sent the woman a small, reassuring smile. "Sorry." She said. "I'm okay reading." She said. She thought a moment, swallowing, before opening her mouth again. Maybe it was time to bite the bullet. "Actually... I had a question."

"Oh?" Toriel said. "What is it, little one?"

Finley stares up at the woman, who stares back with soft and understanding wine-red eyes, firelight dancing in their depths. Finley swallows, suddenly uneasy, before gathering herself up, straining for the words. There came a pop of burning magic in the fireplace, and Finley flinches.

Finley closes her mouth, shaking her head. "I-it's nothing."

Toriel frowns, before hesitantly turning back to her book. "...Well, if you're sure. But come and get me if you have any questions, little one."

Toriel continues reading her book. Finley silently sighed to herself. Well, there was another perfect opportunity, lost to the fireplace. She couldn't even count how many times she'd lost her nerve due to the damned thing, at this point. She was half tempted to ask Toriel to simply put it out, so she could get the question out, but that wouldn't help with the core issue.

No, the core issue was the fact that Finley was too afraid of what this woman could do with less than a word and a flick of her wrist, summoning fireballs and sending them across the room to attack. Wether it was to attack Flowey or to attack _her_ , though, that was another issue. One she sincerely thought she'd be better off not knowing the finer distinction of. Too bad that's exactly what she was going to have to do, to make this work.

With that thought, Finley sighs quietly, hesitantly putting the book down to the side. She stood up shakily from the floor, taking a few tentative steps across the room, until she was standing in front of the reading chair.

Toriel looks up from her book again, smiling. "Yes, little one?"

Finley stood awkwardly in front of the chair where the woman sat staring off to the side, completely tongue tied. "U-um..." She forces out, feeling herself stumble heavily over her own tongue in her mouth. "I was just... just..." The fire pops again, making her jump, and Finley screws her eyes up and curses internally as she imagines her skin boiling under the heat of a fireball.

_Ewww!_

Thankfully, Toriel took pity on her. "...Would you like to hear about the book I am reading?" She said gently.

Finley just about jumps onto the opportunity -- anything to get her mind off _that_ "Y-yeah."

Toriel flipped back to the start of the book, finger trailing across the page as she read. "It is called '72 Uses for Snails.'" She sent Finley a pleased smile, looking down through long black lashes at the little girl. "Would you like to hear one?"

Finley nods.

"Here is an exciting snail fact: did you know..." Toriel said, flipping the page. "... that snails sometimes flip their digestive systems as they mature?"

Finley shook her head.

"You _didn't?"_ She said, sounding shocked, eyes wide as she reared back in her chair.

Finley lips twitch into a awkwardly sincere smile, almost laughing at the absurdity of the reaction, before she caught herself and forces the expression back. "N-no."

"Well then, I guess you learn something new every day." Toriel said, smiling, settling back in her chair. "It _is_ rather interesting, isn't it?"

Finley nods. It _was_ a pretty interesting, if altogether useless, fact.

"Would you like to hear another one?"

She nods again.

"Did you know that..." She flips another page, glancing down momentarily before looking up, smile going wide. "...snails make horrible shoelaces?"

Finley couldn't help it -- she starts giggling. Toriel nods knowingly. "Oh, you didn't know that one either, I see." Finley bit her lip, loosing her breath and starting to snigger. "Oh dear -- my child, what _snails_ you so?" Finley held a hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking.

Toriel just watches, continuing to smile, eyes going tender.

It's then, with the soft smile on the woman's face, that Finley looks up.

Finley's smile immediately drops, along with her head.

She'd almost forgotten. This wasn't just about how dangerous it would be to ask -- someone was invested in what was happening. Someone with no idea what was actually happening here. The longer she waits, let things continue on like this, the longer this woman had to hope that things would be different when they _weren't_.

Finley could just imagine how crushed Toriel would be, the second she realized Finley had no intention of coming back. How much worse would it be, if she waits?

Could she really stand to raise this woman's hopes only to break her heart?

"Toriel." Finley said, closing her eyes tight, before forcing herself to look up. "How... how do I leave the Underground?"

The warm look on the woman's face dissolves into shock as she gasps, hands clutching the book hard. For a moment, she said nothing -- absolutely nothing. She only stares, openly gaping at Finley with wide, shining eyes. "I... child, this... this is your home, now. Why would you want to leave?"

Finley opens her mouth, but lost herself in eyes that begged her to not do this. That begged her not to breathe even another word. She closes her mouth, the words refusing to come out.

She just... she just shook her head, at herself, at this situation. _Looks like we're going to have to sneak out..._ She turns away from the chair, from Toriel, heading towards the hallway.

"Child, where are you going?"

"I'm going to bed."

Toriel didn't move to follow her. For that, she was thankful.

 

* * *

  


_She tries to turn you away, to warn you off. To scare you with mysterious figures out to kill you, beyond the Ruins._

_But in the end, it doesn't work. You stand there, in front of a large doorway, her back turned towards yours. She knows you're there._

_You wouldn't turn back now. You where determined._

_She huffs, shaking her head. "You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this."_

_She turns to you, calling out, voice harsh. "Prove yourself. Prove to me you are strong enough to survive!"_

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Sorry we didn't move very far. I actually thought about combining this with the last chapter, but it's a bit late for that.
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoy it.


	14. Fire Walk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hey guys!
> 
> So, NaNoWriMo is going well. Gotten about three or four chapters done, and I'm at about 11k, so I'm waaay ahead of the daily limit. I'm averaging about 2k a day. Also attending some write-ins, which is why this is a bit later in the evening.
> 
> But, either way, let's get this show on the road and thank folks:
> 
> Thank you lonewolf41m and Jenna_Dreemurr for the (numerous) comments. Thank you Dermonster and UltimateGamer101 for the reviews. Thank you C.O.D.E Retribution, Ria117, NumNumsForSarah, SnownyKatie, bubbahcakes, and agklover1221 for favving. Thank you Dermonster, C.O.D.E Retribution, DerpPriest, Ria117, NumNumsForSarah, Falkyn's Flight, SnownyKatie, UltimateGamer101, and agklover1221 for following. Thank you Mysterious-Logged-in-People for Bookmarking and subscribing. And thank you HybridKylin, GavootTheScoot and guest for leaving kudos!

* * *

  


_You stand there, hesitant, clutching your stick to your chest in some vain hope that it will protect you._

_But, as your soul is drawn out, as the air is filled with fire, and you are left staring into cold eyes, you know that it never will._

  


* * *

_This won't work._

Finley frowns, continuing down the dim corridor. _Shut up._

_I told you -- you can't get through the door. I've tried. Either you need to wait until she opens it for you, or... well..._

Finley raises an eyebrow. _Or?_

The voice is silent.

Finley huffs in irritation, dismissing the odd behavior as she continued down to the end of the corridor. The basement is dark and foreboding -- darker than the Ruins themselves, even. Finley's eyes dart over the walls, littered with cobwebs and skittering spiders large enough and black enough to fit in on one of those little plastic rings they give out on Halloween to kids. She'd be freaked out, but, honestly, she'd seen bigger.

Finally, she comes to the end of the hallway, and suddenly it's there -- the door, leading out of the Ruins, emblazoned with the delta rune, the crest of the royal family. Finley gave a sigh of relief at the sight of the door, rushing forward, raising her hands to push the heavy door open--

\--and nothing happened.

_Told you._

Finley stares at the door blankly, pressing at it harder. When that didn't work, she took a step back to give it a shove, but it doesn't budge.

_You might want to get ready, before she gets here._

"What?" She whispers, still staring at the door in disbelief.

_She always knows, whenever I went down here. She's going to catch you red handed if you stay too long._

Finley felt the hair on her arm raise, her skin soon covered in goosebumps. Her eyes dart behind her, and she is suddenly reminded how in the game Toriel _always_ knew to follow you down here. She didn't have much time.

She turns back to the door, smacking it with her hand. When that doesn't work, she makes a fist and begins beating against it.

_What are you doing? It won't open like that! She's going to be there soon!_

" _Fuck off!_ " She bit out, ignoring how the flesh on the side of her hand is stinging from hitting the door.

"Language, small one."

Finley froze, fist still raised to beat against the door. There is the quiet noise of bare feet against stone, then a hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she closed her eyes. "It is dangerous to play here." She hears Toriel say. "I think you should play upstairs instead."

Finley reflexively swallows. "No."

The hand twitches, and there is a startled intake of air behind her. "I do not like the game you are playing, child."

"I-I'm not playing around." She says. "Toriel." She states, turning around, forcing the hand to fall. She stares up at the woman, crouching down to be more at her level. "Is this... is this the exit to the Ruins?"

There is silence, as Toriel simply closes her eyes. "You... you wish to know how to return "home," do you not?" She says, moving to stand. "...Yes, this is the exit to the Ruins. A one-way trip to the rest of the underground." Her voice is deep, stern, and she barely even pauses as she opens her eyes again. "I am going to destroy it."

Finley's face clenches in pain, along with her heart. "T-Toriel."

"No one will ever be able to leave again. Now, be a good child and go upstairs."

Finley shakes her head. "You know I'm not doing that, Toriel."

"You naive child... If you leave the Ruins..." Toriel breathes in shakily, raising a hand. "They... Asgore... will kill you. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They die. One after the other." Toriel looks at her, searching her face. "I am only protecting you, do you understand?"

"You can't hide me away forever!" Finley says, hands clenching. She wishes that was enough to stop their shaking, but it isn't.

"...No, I suppose it is too late, for that." She says, voice just tinged with sadness, before hardening. "You want to leave so badly? Then, prepare yourself."

Finley's eyes widen, looking up into the distant but unwavering gaze of the woman before her. Finley's body starts glowing -- brighter than ever before. A feeling of dread and terror creeps up her back, as Toriel's hands are bathed in fire.

"Face me and prove yourself." Toriel says, hands raising around the fire in her grasp, stepping back into the center of the room. "Prove to me you are strong enough to survive."

"T-Toriel, _this isn't the answer!_ " She yells out, in a near panic, even as a red heart appears in front of her chest.

But Toriel says nothing. Her eyes are distant, even as she looks at the girl. She--

She is staring straight through her, cold and distant.

Finley chokes on a panicked cry, as fire lifts from the woman's hands, forming a large circle of fireballs around Toriel's torso and head, arms spread wide. As the light of the fire dances over Toriel's regal form and glitters in hard eyes, a tiny, insane part of Finley's brain can't help but look on in awe.

And then the fire is shooting forward with a motion of Toriel's arms, and all the pretty little fireballs are zeroing in on her soul.

Finley _throws_ herself to the side, barely able to dodge the large accumulation of fireballs, boiling heat passing by her body in its wake. _"Shit!"_ she whispers, under her breath, barely stopping herself from falling to the floor.

Toriel doesn't stop, taking a deep breath and preparing her next attack. Sparks of fire appear in the air, so much like the magical bullets the other monsters used, before suddenly licking the air and igniting. The air is filled with a field of fire.

Finley's eyes go wide. Fear stings her heart, and it's all that fills her head. She takes a step back, turning, preparing to run.

 _Don't!_ The voice yells out. _If you run now, she's going to destroy the exit!_

Finley makes an inarticulate noise of distress, stalling only a few feet from the doorway. The field of fire is getting bigger, filling the room, and Toriel's eyes were trained in her direction once more.

Toriel's fingers twitch, dancing together in her palm, and a section of the fireballs begin to gather. She raises her palm up, hand moving as though weighed down by a great force, fingers flexing. All the while, her face is blank and impassive. Then she twists her arm out, her palm shooting down as she swept her hand through the air, a line of fireballs sailing through the air in Finley's direction.

The fireballs coalesce into a wave of fire, and there's nowhere for Finley to dodge as they come towards her. She throws her arms up, ducking her head and turning away to avoid the brunt of the fire, but can't avoid the blaze as it washes over her.

The fire douses her soul through the cage of her arms, and Finley is left breathless under a wave of pain. She cries out, closing her eyes, feeling the numbing pain rush through her body and down her arms, and is too afraid to look and see how bad the damage is as heat bathes her body.

She expects overwhelming pain, as fire burns through her clothes and her skin, and is surprised when she suddenly realizes she can only feel the pins and needles of her injured soul. She opens her eyes in surprise. There isn't a burn on her -- not even a singe. _What?_

 _Miss Toriel's fire burns your_ soul _, not you. Now, focus!_

Finley breathes out shakily, lowering her arms. She looks up -- Toriel is already moving her hand to gather the next wave of fire.

Toriel's arms raise up, the fire all around her pulsing as though fed by the beat of a hummingbird's heart. She draws in the magical attack, weighing it in her hands, and looks at Finley. For a moment their eyes meet, and Toriel's gaze is piercing in her own.

Finley's hands are shaking. They're shaking, but she draws them into fists, and stares hard back into the woman's eyes. "P-please, don't do this." She stands up straighter, resolute. She doesn't try to run again, even as the fire gathers. "We can talk about this!"

Toriel's eyes flicker in uncertainty, before they narrow. Her arm whips out, hurling a line of fire towards her.

Finley tenses, throwing her hands out in front of her body, before catching herself and shielding her heart. The fire broke through around the edges, heat bathing the entirety of her being. It hurt just as badly as it had the first time, and something clenched hard enough in her chest to catch her breath away from her. Finley stumbles, before wobbly catching herself. She presses a hand against her chest, trying to relieve the pain.

Fear made her heart pound and her hands shake. But she isn't going to run. She couldn't -- _wouldn't_ \-- have things end like this. She breathes out hard, pressing her hand tight against her chest, digging her fingers into her sternum. Then, she fisted her hand, putting it back down to her side, setting her shoulder back and her stance wide. It didn't matter if she' scared. Fear meant nothing.

She just had to wait this out. That's all. She just needs to stand her ground.

Then, she looks back up. Toriel is staring at her -- no, not just staring. She looks... concerned. Toriel's eyebrows furrow. "What are you doing?" She calls out, the fire stalling in the air.

"I don't want to fight!" Finley yells back.

"What?" Toriel says, shocked. "Don't be ridiculous. Attack or run away!"

Finley thought back to that poor Froggit, the one that is now just dust in a corridor. She blinks her eyes, shaking her head to fight off the images. "No -- I won't!"

Toriel looks at her in shocked disbelief. She gathers herself, shaking her head. Her eyes narrow. "Then I will make you!"

She threw the volley of fireballs. Finley's eyes widen, spotting a break in the volley, and runs full tilt to the side, darting back precariously and weaving between the widening gap between two of the fireballs, grazing her arm and back against one in a wash of overwhelming heat to make enough room for her soul.

Toriel shakes her head, even as she prepares the next attack. "What are you proving this way? Fight me or leave!"

"Just _shut up_ \-- I'm not going to fight you!" Finley screams, taking a step forward. "And you can't make me run away!"

Toriel's eyes shift again, grief filling her visage. "No, please, don't--" She cut herself off, blinking her eyes desperately, steel entering her gaze again. "Don't be foolish -- face me or go upstairs!"

 _"No!"_ Finley yells, a well of frustration opening up inside of her. _"Stop trying to convince me -- it won't work!"_ She says. _"Just_ stop fighting!" She says, looking at her pleadingly.

Toriel falters, before trying to harden her gaze again. "Stop it." She says, shaky voice betraying her. "Stop... stop looking at me that way." She shakes her head in denial. "You can't... I can't... Y-you... Go away! Just, just go away!"

She flings her arms out, and a larger hail of fire is sent out. But it's chaotic, half-hearted -- Finley easily dodges it, the fire hitting against the far wall instead of crashing against her.

Toriel is left standing there, shaking her head, hand up against her mouth. "No..." Her eyes go wide, frightened, as they land on Finley. "No, no -- this is all wrong. This is just like --" She chokes on the words. "I can't let you go. I _can't_. Not again -- never again. If I can't convince you to go back... then... then..." 

Her eyes flash like jewels, and suddenly she's standing regal as any monarch. Her hands shake, but Toriel doesn't falter. She raises them up, over her head, and it's like she gathers every last speck of fire as they all rise in the air, burning white-bright in their centers.

Finley stares on in complete terror, certain that if this attack hits that she's going to be killed.

Toriel's eyes glitter like rubies in the light, hard and unyielding. "Then I must take this into my own hands, and strike the only blow that matters." She says. "Child, move aside."

Finley tenses, arms up to defend herself, before it suddenly hits her. _"N-no."_ Finley says, nearly choking on the word as the fire in the air burns hot enough to blind her.

"Child, I said _move._ "

 _"N-no!"_ She yells out, the image of inferno and stone spinning in the forefront of her mind, almost making her stumble -- almost making her give in. "I-I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work! _I'm not letting you destroy this door!"_

Toriel's hands shook. "Don't be foolish. If you do not move on your own, then I will just throw it anyways!"

 _"Then do it!"_ She yells back, fists tight against her side. "If you mean it, then just end this!"

"Child..." Her voice is tight, as tears gathers in her eyes. She shook her head. "Please child, don't make me do this."

 _"Then just_ stop this already _, Miss Toriel!"_

"I must end this. I must stop this- this _abomination_." She says, tears falling down her face. "I must destroy the way out, so that no one can leave this place."

 _"Please."_ Finley says, shaking her head in desperation. _"P-please, please just don't do this--"_

"You cannot stop me."

 _"M-miss Toriel!"_ She cries out, almost choking on the words.

"This is your final warning."

_"Stop this!"_

"This must _end,_ child!" Toriel snaps. "And if no one else shall make a stand against what will happen, then _I shall!_ "

 _"Don't say it like that."_ Finley says, tears forming in her eyes. _"Please. There is always another way --_ always."

She shook her head. "I have put this choice off for _too long_ , little one. Too many people have suffered for my foolishness."

Finely stares up at her, resolute. _"It isn't foolish to have hope."_

Toriel sobs. "You don't even know what you are _saying!"_

Finley's heart aches with guilt, staring at this woman, whose hands shake as she sobs. She wishes, just _wishes_ there was something she could do. But there is something inside of her that won't let her stop, and she isn't going to back down now. But maybe, just maybe...

Her feet were stepping forward before she'd even made a conscious decision to move. Finley can barely reach her arms up around the woman's waist. Toriel goes still in her hold. _"It's okay."_ She says. _"You're okay."_ She grips her tighter, burying her face into the cloth of her tunic. _"But you need to let me_ go _, Miss Toriel."_

"Child, I _can't._ " She chokes out.

_"Why, Miss Toriel? Just tell me why."_

Toriel breathes out shakily. "Child I... I..."

 _"Please."_ She says, turning her head to stare up into Toriel's face.

Toriel is looking down at her, eyes glittering with tears. "You are so much like them. You are so much like _all_ of them." She shook her head. "And what happened to them... it's too horrible for words. It was so _meaningless_." Her eyes harden, even as she blinks out tears. "I won't let the same thing happen to you. I won't."

Toriel shut her eyes, gathering herself. When she opens them again, Finley could almost feel them pleading with her. "I know you want to go home, but... but please... go upstairs now." She smiles. "I promise I will take good care of you here." Her smile is crumbling, but she tries in vain to hold it up as tears continue falling. "I know we do not have much, but... we can have a good life here." She shakes her head, eyes still looking at her in desperation.

 _"I..."_ Finley croaks out, before swallowing. _"I just can't do that. I'm... I'm sorry."_

Toriel's face crumbles. "Why are you making this so difficult?" She says. "Please, go upstairs."

"I don't belong here." Finley says, certainly. "I won't... _Miss Toriel, I just... it would never be enough, knowing that I stayed here and never tried to go home. How could I ever be content with that?"_

Toriel stares at her, desperation going out like a doused fire. And she just... laughs. Finley blinks her eyes desperately, trying to clear her sight at the sudden choking feeling. She can't help but think that at any other time Toriel's laugh would be a beautiful one.

"Pathetic, is it not?" She says, palms open as though in demonstration as she stares blankly at the door in front of them. "I cannot..." Her arms fall as she slumps and the points of fire fall with it, dimming. "I cannot save even a _single_ child..."

She moves her gaze back to Finely. "...No, believe me, I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down here." She says, eyes forlorn. "The Ruins are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this. It would never be... be _right_..." Her eyes flicker oddly, before she shakes her head, pressing a hand to her temple. "It is so strange. I swear, the words, they are just like--" She cuts herself off, releasing a sigh. "But, it matters not."

She moves back, and Finley hesitantly lets go. Toriel kneels down, until her eyes are completely level with Finley's, and she gently rests her hands on the girl's shoulders. "My expectations... My loneliness... My... my fears..." She reaches a hand up, carefully cupping the girl's face. "For you, little one... I will do this."

Finley sighs in relief. _"Thank you, Miss Toriel."_

Toriel tears up again, reaching out to hug the girl tight. Finley hugs her back, little arms going around her head and hands burrowing in the fur on her neck.

"Be safe, little one." She whispers, reaching up to stroke her hair.

 _"I will be."_ She says. _"I promise."_

After a long moment, Toriel sighs, pulling away from the embrace. Finley's hands fell away, trailing through soft fur. "Now." Toriel says, eyes clear but the fur under her eyes stuck together from crying. "It is time."

Then suddenly Toriel is gripping her around the shoulders as she stands, her hold hard and unyielding. Finley doesn't have time to process it before she's sent sailing through the air and hitting the floor, tumbling over stone. She's rolling across the floor, arms at her side, until she suddenly hits a wall.

Finley groans, bruised and sore and a little dazed, but still tries to lift her head to turn back towards where she'd been thrown from. She realizes she's in the hallway -- the one that lead back to Toriel's house. Toriel must have... must have thrown her.

She looks up, and Toriel stands there, watching her. Her hands stay fisted at her sides, and the balls of fire still filling the air wobble in their place. _What...?_

It's only as Toriel turns and lifts her arms up to gather the flames together that she realizes the truth.

_"No!"_

Toriel's arms sweep forward. Fire strikes stone with tremendous force of light, a boom like thunder exploding in her ears. Finley throws up her arms, to block out the light, to block out the sound, and fails at withstanding both. She closes her eyes tight.

The ground is shaking, and stone is grinding as it gives way. There's a thunderous crash from the exit, and Finley's eyes snap open to see stone crumbling inward from the ceiling, burying the floor underneath. Finley gapes at the destruction in wonder, at the sudden rubble replacing the far wall.

The door is gone.

But it is not the only thing.

Finley's heart fills with dread at the missing figure, eyes darting across the room for her, only to land on more and more rubble. Her heart clenches in terror. Toriel hadn't made it away from the blast.

Finley does the only thing she can think to do -- call out. "Toriel!" She yells, eyes still desperately searching the rubble. _"Toriel!"_

There's a groan, from in front of her. Her eyes widen, and suddenly she's looking back exactly to where the woman had been standing. There, in the rubble, covered in dirt and stone dust, the woman shakily pushes herself up from the debris.

Finley rushes forward, tripping over stones and rocks, but has to stop, and can only stare down into dark wine-red eyes, pained and straining under the effort to push herself up. Finley looks down her body, where Toriel's legs and torso would be, and it suddenly dawns on her how large and heavy the stones making up this passage are.

Maybe once upon a time, she could have helped, but now she's too small.

"That... that was f-foolish of me." Toriel says, finally, coughing on the dust.

"Toriel." Finley says. "You're going to be--" she cuts herself off, refusing to finish the automatic reassurance. It's better not to lie. "Toriel, can you feel your legs?"

The woman gives a shaky laugh. "I am fine, little one." She says, smiling at her brightly. "My child... I am glad you are alright. I need... need to tell you something."

"Toriel, we don't have time for this." Finley says, frowning. "I need to figure out how to... how to move you, before anything happens. The tunnel is probably really unstable right now."

"It is." Toriel says. Her body is shaking. "In my room, there's a trick floorboard under the foot of the desk. It will be hard to move, but if you slide it to the side, you should be able to get inside. There should be enough there to keep you alive and happy for seven lifetimes -- use it wisely."

Toriel coughs again, and it's then, once the dust has spread and the pangs stop, that Finley realizes Toriel isn't just shaking. "Oh God..."

"Little one..." Toriel looks up at her, glittering eyes beseeching. "Be good, won't you...?"

The lines around Toriel's body fade with the color, and all that's left is the amorphous, shaking mass of _dust_.

Finley _screams._ _"No!"_

But the dust does not listen -- it simply collapses in on itself, spreading out in a whoosh as the debris over top of it collapses with a rumble.

But the rumble doesn't peter out -- it only grows, as the ground once more begins to shake and the dust and cobwebs from the ceiling begin to fall once more.

Finley goes stiff, eyes harrowed, darting over the room. The walls were shaking, shifting. Finley's eyes turn and land on the caved in ceiling, and, through the dust from death and destruction, she could tell that the stones were still moving.

There is no telling, how much longer the rest of the room would stand.

She turns, and starts running through the debris, towards the doorway. There is a great grinding noise, somewhere behind her. She's too afraid to look, too afraid to see, even as the noise gets louder and the dust gets thicker.

Then, something slams into her head, forcing her _down, down_ with a _crack_ , and then there is only blackness.

* * *

  


_You breathe hard, clutching the stick in your hand so tight that it's slick with your sweat. You can't take much more of this. Every burst of fire, every singe, leaves your chest burning. Your heart aches, and your hands are numb._

_But you had to do this -- for yourself._

_For your Mom._

_So you stare up into her eyes as she stares down through you, and even as she readies a strike you're sure will end you, you rush forward, lifting the stick high above your head, and bring it down against her side._

_It's the first time you'd dared to attack her._

_Even as she grunts in surprise, even as the fire comes down crooked as her hand comes down to clutch your shoulder, even as it comes down and strikes you and your soul and it_ shatters _, you burn with something other than fire._

 _You are filled with_ **DETERMINATION.**  


  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** [:D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHN1zANBkzo)
> 
> Feel free to kill me now.


	15. The Lighted Path

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another late night, another verge-of-being-late chapter.
> 
> ...Okay, it's only nine. It isn't _that_ bad.
> 
> Anyways, things have been going well in WriMo land. Hit 25k yesterday, and have plans of reaching 75k by the time the month is over. It's certainly possible, if a bit of a stretch. Heck, I've still got about a thousand words today to reach 2.5k, which is about the minimum you need daily to reach 75k.
> 
> As for the story itself... Ehhh. It's hit and miss. I was actually going to do something completely different for this chapter, but got mixed up in... well... timetravel shenanigans. So, where once there was a beautifully ordered outline, there is only now the remains of a story broken and affixed into a new shape. Let's hope it works.
> 
> Now, for thanks.
> 
> Thank you ShlidaSkye and Yoto205 for comments. Thank you Altair the black dragon and Guest for reviewing. Thank you Sansyyyy, Altair the black dragon, and Thatpotatoguywhohas9000lives for favving. Thank you DanteLoyal, Sansyyyy, Altair the black dragon, and Thatpotatoguywhohas9000lives for following. Thank you DracoNocte For kudos. And thank you, you two Mysterious-Logged-In-People for subscribing.

* * *

  


_When the pain disappeared, you where confused. All you could see was darkness. Where where you?_

_Then, in the darkness, a voice rang out._

__'Chara!' _It said._ 'You have to stay determined! You can't give up.'

'You are the future of humans and monsters!' __

_And then, as though just opening your eyes, there you where, staring up into sunlight, in a patch of golden flowers. As though it was all just a bad dream._

_But, the way your hands shook belied something else._

  


* * *

  


When her eyes open for her, she was somewhere else, though she couldn't remember for the life of her where she'd been before.

Finley sighs and put the car into park, pulling the stick shift into place to force the car to stay in place, before turning on the parking break. She stares off, beyond the hood, down into the oceans's waves and currents below, webs of white surf running over the water.

It was a small turn off, off the main road winding it's way around the edge of the coast, hugging the steep hills leading down to the cliff faces. The sun was setting somewhere behind her, casting the coast in shadow across the hills, and she could see the faint traces of the moon hanging in the deep blue sky over the water. She wonders vaguely if this was the time of year you could stare out and see whales, but... well, maybe that was wishful thinking. She was a bit too close to the shoreline to see any, anyways.

She reaches out, turning off the engine, then turning turning the keys to pull them out, bathing the car in silence. She threw them into the other seat, before simply leaning back, staring out past the hood of the car.

She could hear the rush of waves, from here. She wonders if the tide was out. If she had time to find a beach, usually locked away under the waves, that'd take her away if she laid there in the sand long enough.

She smiles to herself, amused by the thought, reaching down to the foot of the passenger side seat and grabbing a bag. The truth was, she already had a plan. She'd already ordered a last meal, hours ago it felt like, before she came out here. She'd already bought the pills and the wine, which she'd take together as she watches the ocean for a while.

...Actually, she wasn't even sure why she turned off the car -- she'd need as much help as she could get, with as many sleeping pills as she was taking. She remembers vaguely trying to keep herself propped up the last time she tried taking them, and cringes. Yeah, better to make this easy on herself, or else she wouldn't have time to get anything done before she passes out.

She sighs, snatching the keys off of the passenger's seat, and sticking them into the the ignition. She turns them, turning on the radio again, letting the sound of the music fill the cabin, before leaning back and grabbing the bottle opener from the bottom of the bag.

In a few minutes, she is sipping wine from a newly opened wine bottle, in a newly bought wine glass, staring out into the ocean, a mix of pop music and waves ringing in her ears. She breaths out.

For a moment, she could pretend she was really at peace.

Then her brain slows, thought by thought, click by click, and the moment stretches on into eternity, and things... went... **dark.**

**Her sight pull away as she fell back, and it drifts away from her like a distant light, falling farther and farther away as she fell into nothingness. She could feel herself reaching, straining for it, the echo of something... something calling out to her.**

**There, where the light had been, there was something there inside the blackness. Red. Red hot, like an iron's heat dying after being torn from the fire. It winks at her in the dark, twinkling in the blackness. She could hear something, but the sound -- it was so alien that she couldn't place it.**

**Then, everything clicks into place as she realizes. Ah, that's what it was -- screaming. It was screaming.**

**And the red light blinks out into nothing.**

Reality mixes together like the oils on a bubble, before with a sudden _pop_ of clarity, Finley was falling though the air. She chokes on a scream she didn't remember forming, bouncing with the crunch of leaves, and fell forward onto her hands.

She stares down, blinking at the pile of leaves she'd found herself in, completely uncomprehending. "What..." She croaks, breathing in with the sudden reminder that she still needs air. Finley spots movement out of the corner of her eyes, eyes darting up to stare as a piece of tile floats upward, slowly. She cranes her neck back, watching as the pieces arrange themselves into place again against the ceiling, a perfect replica of a complete tile, sans the hair-like cracks. "What... what the hell...?" She said, breathless. "What the am I doing back... here?"

The voice in her head sighs in relief. _Good, you're back._. It said. _I was worried for a second, with how dark everything went. Are you okay?_

"I..." Finley's voice peters out, mind uncomprehending.

 _Please tell me you're okay. You_ are _okay, aren't you?_

"I... I-I don't know." Finely said, voice still in a hush.

 _Okay, that's understandable._ The voice said. _You loaded your save -- you're back in the Ruins, alive again._. It clarifies.

"Oh." She said, under her breath, before blinking in realization. "Oh, that's right -- I must have... must have died, in the collapse, and I can't _really_ die here..."

 _Yep, that's right._ The voice said. _We really should get going now, before Miss Toriel begins worrying about us._

Finely pauses, hesitating. "You mean... she's still _alive?_ " She said, voice in a hush of awe.

 _Well yeah._ The voice said. _We've gone back to before she died, so of course she's alive._

Finley just stares, eyes lost in the grayish stone that made up the Ruins. She was too shocked to even register words. She glances around, at the walls, the ceiling, the floor covered with leaves, and just...

"I'm... back here, before all that happened...?" She whispers.

 _Uh..._ The voice hesitates. _...Yes?_

Finley reaches up, holding her hands out to stare down at her palms, thumbs brushing over the pads of skin. "This... this..." She says. "This is really, really _weird._ " She says, voice low. 

_You get used to it._ The voice says. _It just takes some time to... get in the swing of things. Now, come on -- we've gotta go convince Toriel to not blow up the door, this time._

"...Right." She said, hesitantly. Eventually, she shakes her head, moving to push herself up from the pile of leaves. "Guess I should get going..."

 _Right!_ The voice calls out. _Let's go!_

Finely trudges through the leaves, leaving the room, heading back towards the room above, unsure of how to feel about this situation.

  


* * *

  


Finley peeks through the archway, eyes darting around the room. She gives a sigh of relief as she fails to spot the Froggit -- the one that had gotten dusted by her less than a day -- she cut herself off. The one that'd died in another timeline, one that didn't exist anymore.

She steps out, smiling as she looks over the room.

...Only to hear a surprised croak, in the corner of the room hidden close to the doorway. She turns in surprise, eyes landing on the frog-like monster.

Finley stares down the Froggit. The Froggit stares down Finley. Its eyes narrow. She frowns, memories of dust clouding her mind. Her body is swallowed in a halo of light. She clutches her flashlight tight.

 _Give it a compliment._ The voice suggests. _That will make it more likely to spare you._

Finley hesitates, before sighing. "Hey." She calls out, grabbing the Froggit's attention. "You're... a really pretty shade of white, you know that?"

The Froggit blinks at her in confusion, bluish blush forming on it's face.

"You want to... like... skip the fighting?"

The Froggit stares at her a moment, before very, very hesitantly, nodding. Her soul disappears back into her chest, making her smile in triumph. "T-thank you." She said, earnestly, a feeling too big for her chest filling her up.

The Froggit croaks at her, blushing more.

"Have a nice day!" She calls out, walking past. The Froggit nods at her, a ghost of a smile seeming to form on its face as it turns away. Finley sighs in relief, walking away. _Well, that's one thing out of the way._

 _Yeah!_. The voice calls out. _You did great!_

"Yeah, but Toriel..." She said, frowning. "I don't think Toriel is going to be that easy to convince."

 _...Maybe._. The voice admits. _But don't give up! You'll never know until you try._

Finley sighs again, shaking her head, turning and walking through the perspective puzzle and pulling switches with ease. _It's almost like I've_ done _all this before..._ She thought sarcastically.

And then suddenly her phone is ringing, making Finely jump. She fumbles to grab it, pressing the call button and pressing the phone to her ear.

"H-hello?"

"Hello, this is Toriel. I just realized that it has been a while since I have cleaned up." She says, not hearing the girl's distress. "I was not expecting to have company so soon. There are probably a lot of things lying about here and there. You can pick them up, but do not carry more than you need. Someday, you might see something you really like." She said. "You will want to leave room in your pockets for that."

Finley nods, mindlessly, hardly able to comprehend what was going on. "...Okay."

"Alright, well, I'll see you soon." Click.

Finley stares down at the phone, before sighing as she presses the red 'end call' button.

  


* * *

  


She hesitates a long time, in front of the woman's front door -- long enough that the woman literally threw it open, only to stumble to a stop in front of her. Finley stares up into the woman's shocked face. Finley stares up at the woman drinking in the sight of her wide, wine-red eyes. 

"How did you get here, my child? Are you hurt?" She asks, voice urgent as she looks her over. On seeing no injuries, she sighs in relief. "I should not have left you alone for so long. It was irresponsible to try to surprise you like--"

Finley couldn't resist -- she rushes forward, hugging the woman around the middle.

"Oh!" Toriel says, startled, reaching down to rest her hands on Finley's shoulders. "It's good to see you too, little one. Oh dear -- are you alright?"

 _"I'm-_ I'm fine." Finley chokes out, before saying. _"I'm glad you're okay."_

Toriel blinks, taking her shoulders to move her back. Finley let go of the woman's waste, letting her move her back. "What was that, little one?"

Finley's face scrunches up, before smoothing out. "I- _It's nothing._ " She said, pressing her face back into the fabric on the woman's stomach.

"...Alright, dear.", she said. A hand came to rest on Finley's head, stroking her hair. Finley felt a fissure of discomfort rise up and fizzle out in her chest, simply continuing to press her cheek into the thick fabric over the woman's warm body, simply taking in the warmth.

Something passes through her heart, a relief so palpable, she couldn't properly place it's source. Like a balm, for the dread that had fills her heart, the one that had felt so... familiar. The shadow of a feeling she recognizes.

She closes her eyes, burrowing deeper into the woman's middle, trying to ward off the feeling of desperation that clung like a film to her being. _It's not worth it -- even if it was possible, he wouldn't be_ here.

Her heart aches at the desperate memory anyways.

"...We shouldn't linger like this out here on the door step, don't you think?" Toriel said, voice warm. "Do you want to come in, little one? I have a surprise for you."

Finley hesitates a moment, before nodding against the woman's stomach, letting her arms fall as the woman drew back. Toriel steps back into the doorway, pushing the door open wider, motioning her inside. "Come in, small one."

Finley, still half in a daze, went in to the house. "Do you smell that?" Toriel said, voice now tinged with excitement. "Surprise! It is a butterscotch-cinnamon pie." Toriel said from behind her. "I thought we might celebrate your arrival. I want you to have a nice time living here. So I will hold off on snail pie for tonight."

Finley nods, staring at a house that looks no different than it had less than a day ago. Toriel walks up beside her. "Here, I have another surprise for you." She says, reaching down to take her hand. And Finley simply let her.

  


* * *

  


_When people died, they talked about a light._

_But, no matter how many times it happened, there was never one for you._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Okay. Hope the descriptions of the car weren't that far off base -- I never got a license, and I haven't really been in the drivers seat in a _long_ time. I'll be sure to edit it if I get any complaints or comments, but for now, that's how it is.


	16. Please Don't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N** : I am here, once more!
> 
> Sorry about the delay -- something kept me away from my room (and, therefore, my computer) for a few days unexpectedly, meaning I had no time to work on the chapter. I actually came back on Saturday, but the thing was in such shambles that I decided to hold off posting it for a few days, to make sure everything was in order.
> 
> In other news, the thing that kept me away from home basically trashed my wordcount for NaNoWriMo, and I'm still trying to get my mojo back. Probably only going to scrape by with 50k, but at least that's 50k I didn't have before, so.
> 
> Anyways, the chapter for this Saturday is basically done, so there shouldn't be any delay on that one. It'll be a nice breather, from the chaos the story has been recently.
> 
> Now, onto thanks:
> 
> Thank you Axzi and lonewolf41m for commenting. Thank you DanteLoyal for leaving a review. Thank you MechanicalCaptain for following. And thank you Mysterious-Logged-In-People for Bookmarking and Subscribing.

* * *

  


_When Flowey tried to confront you again, you where... you where confused, but you new better than to mess with the flower pellets. You dodged, eyes scanning the darkness, trying to remember where the exit was through the gloom, even as the flower reprimanded you._

_When the air was suddenly filled with pellets, surrounding you on all sides, your heart pounded in fear. It then proceeded to sink and dissolve in your stomach as they where swallowed up in flames, your soul filled with terror._

_There she was, fire alight in her hands. You stared up at the matronly woman, shaking._

_It flashed through your head -- fire, stone, hard breathing, pain, the caving in of your soul, DETERMINATION -- and- and-_

  


* * *

"This is it..." Toriel says, resting a hand on her shoulder. "A room of your own. I hope you like it!"

Finley stays still, frozen in skittish anticipation as the hand came up from her shoulder to pet her head. She swallows back the feeling in her chest. If it made her feel better... well, she'd let her do it for now.

The hand on her hand suddenly pauses. "Is something burning...?" The hand falls away, and Toriel rushes down the hall before catching herself, turning to call back: "Um, make yourself at home!"

Finley stood there, staring after the woman. Then, slowly, she turns to her room, reaching up to turn the knob. She went over to the bed, reaching to push herself up onto the edge, and simply... staring at the far wall.

She... she had another chance to save somebody. Somebody who was good, and wholesome, who'd died for a meaningless cause. She could take it all away, like it never happened. Wipe it away, like a mark on a chalk board. To have that sort of power... to know you could just... go back, before anything bad happened, and take it all back. The idea left her breathless.

She could see it, the cold look as Toriel readies her attacks. The shards of pain in the woman's eyes as she stares down at her, tear stained fur under her eyes. The pained visage she wore as she stares up at her, buried under rubble, her eyes going soft and loving.

Finley bit her lip, feeling her eyes water. This person... this person doesn't deserve to die for her. _Miss Toriel..._ Her hands clench around the sheets, crease forming between her eyes. It wasn't like her. She usually didn't care about stuff like this. Sure, seeing people... people _die_ was traumatic, but... this feeling... it burns inside of her, dancing away from her sight like an image captured in a flame, somewhere inside her chest.

There was a small part of her, locked inside, that wants someone to care that much.

That small part of her wonders, what it would be like if she just... stays.

Her mind immediately turns to the thought of just... lying. She dreamed of something like this, sometimes. Going back in time, and just being a little kid again. Taking the chance to have a second childhood, to do everything right the second time around.

She shook her head, wiping her eyes. But that wasn't it at all -- this wasn't the past, this was another place entirely. Toriel wasn't her mom and dad, who where so unstrict that she could barely even remember ever being punished, or being withheld from anything. Toriel wasn't a lot of things.

But, most of all... Toriel didn't really _know_ her. Not like her parents knew her. Not at all. Didn't even have a nominal obligation to take care of her. She was just a woman, desperately caught up in her own loneliness and isolation, who was desperate to make up for lost time with her lost children. And staying... 

That would just be taking advantage, wouldn't it?

Finley reaches up with both her hands and wipes at her eyes, giving a sniffle to clear her nose. She was a grown damn woman. Even if she looked like a little kid, she wasn't really one. Anything else would be... would be just a lie of convenience. And she wouldn't do that to someone as nice and... and _earnest_ as Toriel.

She shifts around on the bed, flopping down onto the pillow, breathing out into the fabric. Which, really, only left one option -- trying to leave. She needs to convince Toriel to simply put her fears aside and not destroy the door, or at least wait until she left to try and do so safely.

Then, it suddenly hit her like a bag of bricks. _How exactly am I going to convince her to let me go...?_

Finley groans. Well, this was going to go well.

 

* * *

 

She stares down at the pie, picking at it with her fork.

"--I have always wanted to be a teacher." Toriel says, pausing to glance down at her book. "...Actually, perhaps that isn't very surprising."

" _Still_. I am glad to have you living here."

"Toriel?"

"Yes?" She says. "Did you need something?"

She hesitates a moment, before swallowing. "This... this is really nice, but..." She sighs. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course, little one." Toriel says, smiling. "What do you wish to talk about?"

Finley hesitates, resting her hand on the table. She gazes down at it a moment, wondering what she was supposed to say to try and open up this conversation, before looking up. "You... you want me to stay here... right?"

Toriel blinks at her in confusion a moment, before nodding. "Well, yes, little one." She laughs slightly -- tight and constrained -- glancing down at her book. "I-I guess it was foolish of me to not talk to you about it and expect you to understand, but... but yes. _This_ is your home now, little one."

Finley fought down the need to fidget at the pronouncement, settling for a slight frown instead, as she looks up at the woman. "But... what about letting me-" She cut herself off. She could see the woman rushing downstairs from here, if she dared say that. She struggles for something else to say. "...There's a way out, though, isn't there? A way to leave the Ruins, and head back to the surface. Right?"

Toriel froze, her eyes flashing conflicted emotions, but Finley didn't let that deter her. "I know that you want me to stay here. I know that you want me to stay here _really badly_ , but..." Finley bit her lip for a second. "But, if there was a way to leave, you'd talk to me about it, right? And if you thought that..." She hesitates. "If there was..." She hesitates again, before sighing. "I know you're worried about things, and that you don't want me to... to leave, but, if there was a way to go back to the surface, you wouldn't do something to stop me... would you?"

She looks straight into the woman's eyes then, the question having the weight of a lie on her tongue. Toriel herself didn't look so good, a crease forming between her brows and a lost look in her eyes. Finley couldn't help hesitating, the look screaming at her to stop talking about this, but she had to press on. _We won't get anywhere, if you don't step up and do something._ "If there was a way out of this place, you'd talk to me about it, wouldn't you? You wouldn't just force me to stay here, would you?" She says. "Even if you thought it was best for me, you'd let me choose, right?"

Toriel's face contorts more at her questions, before she finally spoke, voice low. "Little one, I know it's a shock, but this... this _is_ your home, now." She says. "I... I know it's not much, but... leaving the Ruins is..." Toriel looks at her, before her sight fell back down to the table.

Then, something flashed in her eyes. "...It isn't possible, little one." She did not look Finley in the eye as she spoke. "There isn't a way to leave the Ruins, not anymore. They way was... was sealed off, long ago."

Finley felt her stomach drop. She looks down at the plate of pie, suddenly not feeling up to this anymore. The blatant lie -- it stung.

And the worst part was, she _got_ it. She knew why the woman was doing this. It was to protect her, to nurture her, to shelter her. To keep her away from a world that wanted her dead, because she didn't understand that Finely could just come back and try again. She lied because she felt she had to, to _save_ her, and for all that she new, it should work.

But, it couldn't go on like this. She needs to end this, now.

She looks up, trying to catch the woman's eyes, trying to convey how important this is. "Toriel." She says, finally drawing the attention of her eyes. "I know there's still an exit to the Ruins. It's downstairs, isn't it?"

Toriel froze. She could not have looked more shocked if she had been struck. She simply sat there, staring at Finley, with wide reddish-wine eyes.

Then, her eyes clear, and she looks down, standing. "Excuse me." She says, voice shaking. She put the book down on the table. moving away from the dining area. "There's something I need to attend to. Stay here."

Finley turns to look at her as she left. "Toriel, please-"

She turns away, walking briskly towards the front room. Finley stares after her, barely a moment, before slipping from her chair to stand. She walks away from the table and, glancing back, looks at the butterscotch-cinnamon pie, barely touched. With a frown on her face she turns away, quickly rushing after the monster currently making her way down to blow up the exit to the Ruins, hoping -- praying -- that she'd be able to convince the woman to do the right thing this time.

Finley had to jog to catch up, just about losing her footing on the stairs as she turns halfway down them. She catches herself, stumbling, and grabs the railing as she pounds down the stairs in an effort to try and catch up. She pants, feet pattering against stone as she rushes to catch up with the tall woman's strides down the hallway. She could see her, still walking at a pace Finley could barely keep up with, making her way down the dim hallway. "Toriel!" She calls out, seeing the woman's back. "Toriel, wait -- don't do this!"

Oddly enough, the woman _does_ wait. Toriel stops moving so suddenly that Finley has to struggle to stop herself almost losing her footing. "You wish to return 'home', do you not?" Toriel says, voice distant. She turns her head to glance behind her just slightly.

Finley doesn't answer a moment, only belatedly realizing that this is a question. She hesitates, unsure if the woman really wants an answer. "I-I- _of course, Miss Toriel_." She says, stumbling over the words.

Toriel turns her head forward again. "Ahead of us lies the end of the Ruins -- a one-way exit to the rest of the underground." She says. Finley feels a chill go up her spine, the familiarity of the words not lost on her. Toriel takes a breath, seeming to steel herself. "I am going to destroy it." Her hands fist at her side. "I will make sure no one ever leaves again. Now, be a good child, and go upstairs." She continues walking, pace brisk.

"Toriel, no!" Finley yells out, rushing to catch up again. "You have no idea what you're doing!"

"No, child -- _you_ have no idea what you're doing." She says. " Every human that falls down here has met the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They come. They leave. They _die_." She says, voice grave. "You naive child. If you leave the Ruins, they... _Asgore_... will kill you." Her fist clench at her sides, as she continues walking. "I am only protecting you, do you understand? Go to your room, little one."

Finley hesitates, looking ahead to see the end of the hallway, before continuing forward. "Child," Toriel calls out, her voice reprimanding as Finley's feet pound against stone to keep up, "You cannot stop me. This is your final warning."

Finley doesn't dare listen. She doesn't dare listen to her heart, which tells her to _stop_ , to _run_ , to _let_ this happen. Her pulse pounds a staccato rhythm, pounding in her chest, but even as Toriel turns a corner in front of her, she continues running to catch up, stopping to catch her breath at the end on the hallway.

She turns to see Toriel standing in front of the door, staring at it blankly. "So. This is how it ends." She says, under her breath. She raises a hand up, as though to touch the door, before drawing it back.

She turns her head, glancing at Finley before huffing under her breath. "You are just like the others. Just like..." She shakes her head, moving to turn around completely. She stands regally, back straight. "Well then, if this is what it takes, then so be it." She stares Finley dead in the eyes. "If you want to leave so badly, you will have to go through me."

Toriel spreads her arms wide, summoning a circle of fireballs with a flex of her fingers. Finley tenses, spreading her feet wide to get ready to dodge. She tries to think up some way to convince the woman, someway to talk her out of this, but her mind came up blank as she was forced to dodge the attack. _Shit! Shit! I should have thought this though when I had the chance!_ She thinks, desperately. _How am I supposed to do this???_

_I- I don't know. I've never had to do this before!_

Finley scowls, watching as Toriel begins to gather fire from the air. _Did I_ ask _you?_

_I'm trying to help!_

_Well, shut up -- I'm trying to think._ Her eyes narrow, focusing on the line of fire Toriel was gathering. "Toriel!" She yells out, desperately. "Des _troying the door -- it isn't the answer!_ "

Toriel's eyes narrow. "If you want to leave so badly, then fight!" She raises her arms and, one by one, the room was filled with sparks of magic once more. "Face me here, or turn back!"

Finley flinches as the sparks lit mid-air, tensing as the woman gathers a section of the flames. She dodges the first volley, internally cursing as Torial only went about gathering more. _If I don't think of something, this is going to go downhill fast._ " _Miss Toriel_ , listen to me!" She yells. "If you destroy the exit with us both down here, this plase'll crash down on our heads!"

"Then child, it is best you go upstairs." She says coldly. "Stand down, and this will all be over."

Finley cries out in inarticulate rage. "I'm not going to move just so you can destroy the stupid door!" She cries out. "And I'm not going to fight you, either, so don't you dare start on that!"

Fire is hurled at her, and it bathes her, catching the edge of her soul and sucking away her energy, and Finley had to wonder how much time she really had to just stand there. She really should have come up with a better plan before attempting this--

"Toriel, you don't need to do this." She says. "Please, just stop, and we'll talk about this!"

She's ignored, another volley of fire thrown at her, and she doesn't move fast enough. She tries to step back, lift her arms to block the fire, but the feeling of pins and needles fills her being as she is bathed in fire. She pants, an overwhelming feeling of tiredness washing over her, glance falling down to the floor in exhaustion. 

She is haunched over, desperate for breath, but, finally, she looks up into the steely eyes of the woman in front of her. She narrows her eyes, spreading her feet wide, stance at the ready.

Toriel's eyes flash with a distant emotion, before she looks at her in confusion. "What are you doing?" she asks, and Finley can't help but feel this is the beginning of the end. Finley hesitates. There's nothing she can think of to say that could sway the woman.

Yet, the words bubble up as though she'd been thinking about them the whole time. " _I don't want to fight you, Miss Toriel!_ " She says. " _And I'm going to stand here, and I'm going to convince you not to destroy this exit, even if it's the last thing I do!_

"What?" Toriel's eyes widen in shock a moment, before narrowing. "Don't be ridiculous!" She says, raising her hands to gather another attack. "Attack or run away!"

It's like her mouth opens and the words simply flow out. _"No!"_ She yells out, taking a challenging step forward she didn't even realize was in her. _"I'm going to stand here and reason with you! And I'm not going to stop until you decide to listen to me!"_

Toriel's eyes steel themselves, and she releases a hail of fire, bathing Finley's side of the room in fire. Finley cringes, darting to the side to avoid the brunt of the damage, weaving through the gap between fireballs once more. But Finley just sets her teeth, staring up at the woman. _"You can't ignore me forever!"_

Toriel shakes her head. "What are you proving this way?" She says. "Fight me or leave!"

 _"I'm proving that I'm strong enough to last out there!"_ She says, voice strong but mind feeling like it was almost in a daze. _"Monsters aren't evil -- I'll go out there and prove it to you! To everyone!"_ She yells. _"You can't hold me back forever, Miss Toriel!"_

Toriel sent out another wave of fire, but it was half distracted. She was shaking her head, a look of dawning realization apprearing on her face, eyes becoming desperate. "No, no..." She gathers up another volley of fire, shaking her head in denial, eyes glittering in the dim light. "No! Stop it! Run away!"

 _"I'm not running, and I'm not letting you destroy_ anything!" She yells, taking a step forward.

Toriel's eyes shift again, a familiar grief filling her visage. "No, please, don't--" She blinks her eyes, forcing her gaze to go hard again. "Don't be foolish -- face me or go upstairs!"

Finley's eyebrows drew together, mind swimming together. This... this wasn't working. She was saying the exact same things she'd said last time. If she didn't think of something soon, she was going to destroy the door.

 _Don't worry._ The voice says. _I've got this -- I know I do._

Finely's mind swam, unable to connect how statement A lead to situation B, simply moving to the side almost on reflex as another volley of fire was sent in her direction. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog. It didn't work.

"No..." Finley looks up, seeing Toriel fisting her hands. "Stop it. Stop... stop looking at me that way." She shakes her head, eyes wild. "You can't... I can't... Y-you... Go away! Just, just go away!"

The loud declaration rang in the small space, punctuating the silence that follows. Fire crashes against the far wall, so wildly thrown that FInley didn't even have to dodge. Toriel was staring, wide eyed, frozen in place. A hand slowly crept up towards her mouth, before she shook her head. "No, no -- this is all wrong." She says finally. "This is just like --" She chokes on the words, and Finley feels her heart break as the scene repeats itself. "I can't let you go. I _can't_. Not again -- never again." She says, eyes somewhere between horrified and resolute. "If I can't convince you to go back... then... then..."

Her eyes flash like jewels, and Finley tenses, waiting for the statement to finish. But it's only as Toriel turns her entire body, back facing her and arms raised, that Finley realizes her fatal flaw.

She wasn't standing in front of the door, this time.

 _"No!"_ She screams out, rushing forward.

There's an explosion of light, a boom of thunder, and then barely a strained moment to see the ceiling cave in, before everything goes black.

* * *

  


_When she takes a step towards you, you take a step back._

  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N** : Well, fuck.


	17. Time Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Back to our regularly scheduled program.
> 
> ...Well, kind of. You can think of this as a bit of a intermission, even though you'll learn a fuck ton about what's going on. Also, you get puns, which is always good.
> 
> Anyways, thanks:
> 
> Thank you lonewolf41m and DanteLoyal for commenting. Thank you SerialReader99 for reviewing. Thank you xVentressx, SerialReader99, gamerman246, and AnimeandGameFanGirl for favving. Thank you xVentressx, SerialReader99, Brass Cogs, and Chaos- The Omnipotent God for following. Thank You DanteLoyal for leaving kudos. And, finally, thank you you Mysterious-Logged-In-People for subscribing.

"--dog, please."

"sure, comin' right up." Sans says, without even blinking an eye. Completely at ease, he reaches out, grabs a pair of tongues, snatches up a water-sausage, and slips it into a bun. "you want any toppings? i'd _relish_ the 'dog by itself, but still, I have to _mustard_ up the will to ask."

"...Was that a pun?"

"ah, yup -- looks like I'm gonna have my work cut out, trying to _ketchup_ with you." The monster across from him gives him a disbelieving look. "hey, _chili_ out. here, you can have this one on the house, toppings and all. we cool?"

"Really?" The monster says, blinking. "Thanks!" He says, reaching out for the 'dog.

"you're welcome." He says, distractedly giving it over. "have a _ice_ day."

The monster simply rolls his eyes, before waving goodbye. Sans watches him leave for a moment, up until the moment he turns away to take a bite out of the 'dog, before casually closing up shop. That guy was always a tough crowd -- always tricky to make him actually laugh. He'd used those puns before dozens of times, but he wasn't really feeling up to coming up with new material right now.

No, something was wrong.

He disappears back behind the illegal hot-dog stand, and the scenery fades around him only to be replaced by snow. It was a bit early for him to be switching shifts, but he knew from experience that no one would come around the stand for the next few hours before closing, and no one was here to see him at his watch post, so it didn't make a difference.

Sans stares down the path, pristine, untrodden snow leading to the bridge, and across down all the way to the set of double doors leading out of the Ruins. He tucks his hands into his pockets, staring down the straight line to the exit from the Ruins. It'd be at least a few hours, before the kid appears again. It'd often only open on the second day, instead -- the kid generally likes staying the night, for whatever reason. Not that he minds. An early start generally only meant bad news.

He shook his head, warding off the thought. The kid had been doing... doing okay, recently, from what he could remember.

Although, all things considered, he wasn't so sure his memory was at all reliable anymore. The recent, more decent track record simply gave him more time to think, and to put his thoughts in order.

Which would be damn useful, if the last thing he could remember wasn't consisting of a obvious blank spot in his memories, right after he'd--

He closes his eyes, absently kicking at the snow. Well. He supposed it was inevitable. Can't keep playing ignorant forever, can he? Can't keep repeating the same set of days, over and over, pretending nothing was going on, without going of the deep end at least a _little_ bit. You can't play your cards perfectly forever. And besides, this time, this time, he had even had a way to _end it--_

Too bad he couldn't remember even trying. Sans frowns slightly, eyesockets furrowing. Actually, he couldn't even remember getting ready. Or what, exactly, he'd been planning to do. Not that it was all that hard to guess. And, _boy_ was _that_ a way to go.

But then, what better way to end the Anomaly than to erase it from the timeline completely?

It was odd -- he had been angry -- vengeful -- to even consider it, but now...

Nothing.

...Just... numbness.

He reaches his hand out, letting the cold seep into his bones, rubbing his fingers together. _Must be shock..._

"well, we could probably do with a little _lightning_ of the mood..." He mumbles to himself, taking a step back to turn back to his station. He walks slowly through the snow, ducking into his outpost, before getting ready to take a nap. he pulls up a chair he'd moved back in here ages ago, leaning against the counter to put his head down. He sighs in relief, closing his eyes to drift off. _Hope Papyrus isn't too down today. He's been really depressed, since news hit that the human died._

Sans froze. He sat up, slowly. Why did he think...?

Then, it hit him like a tidal wave.

The body.

They'd found the body, in the final corridor before the throne room.

 _Without_ a soul.

Sans curses. He was definitely the last one to see the kid. Had he been stupid enough to--

No -- no.

That's _not_ what happened. He presses a hand against his forehead, thoughts flooding him. If there was anything left, after what he'd planned, he wouldn't have just _returned it_ like that. Not where someone could _find it._

Sans sucks in a breath. Oh man, did they find it, alright. He had no idea how, or _why_ but the news had spread like wildfire. They'd lost the seventh soul.

Papyrus had been _devastated_. _Everyone_ had been devastated, but he could still remember when word got back through one of the guards to Undyne about what had happened. How sad she'd looked when she told Papyrus, the way she placed a hand on his shoulder pad in sympathy. The way his face just _fell_.

That had been months ago.

The longest the human went without resetting was a few weeks.

Sans shook his head. But, that shouldn't be possible -- _this_ shouldn't be possible. Without their soul, the source of their determination, the kid couldn't even _dream_ of resetting.

But, at the same time, if this was a reset, then how...?

Sans stood up, teleporting near the exit to the Ruins, waiting with baited breath.

Whatever was going on, this reset was going to be _different._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** Yes, you got Sans, you lucky, lucky people you. Actually debated about putting this chapter in at all, because of spoiler content, but, eh, It's a bit late to be second guessing myself _now_. Besides, if that was all I had up my sleeves, this would be a really boring story.


End file.
